A Mother's Love
by lossehelin
Summary: Kenshin is a single parent with a son that has never known the love of a mother,and suddenly finds himself pushed away by his sullen child. Will the presence of another parentless individual pull him from his shell? KK
1. Meetings

I am reposting these chapters as I am able to. Some with just grammar revisions, while others may have a few additions or subtractions to a bit of the content. The story is still very much the same, but I wanted to flesh it out a bit more where I could. For anyone reading this story for the first time, I have portrayed Tomoe in a different light than you may be used to. I just thought it might be nice not to kill her off, plus it makes things interesting when you don't use the same antagonist every time. This story is mainly happy-go-lucky, and is nice when you want something sweet. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine… never will be… maybe someday I'll get over it… maybe… sometime soon… like a couple… years?

**Chapter 1: Meetings**

Kenshin sat in his spacious kitchen, lost in thought as he sipped at his tea. The meeting he had attended in a neighboring town had ended early, leaving him with a few hours of free time. Since he had nothing better to do with his time, he had gone home. The house around him was large, well kept and mostly clean except for that morning's dishes still in the sink and the small scatter of toys and crayons in the play room. In another couple of hours he would go and bring his son home from the day care center. Sadly, this would not bring much more life to the quiet house as Kenji was not an open or playful child. Still, he had liked to demand the attention of his father when he was present. That is, until the year before.

At the time he had only been three years old, and there was no thought in his young mind that only having a father was anything but right. Kenji had no idea what a mother was and never questioned why he didn't have one. Until he found himself mesmerized by a boy his age being coddled and loved by _his_ mother. Without any clue as to what he was asking he promptly questioned who she was. The other boy had told him that she was his "mommy." In which case the small red-head hadn't understood and the other had to explain to him the only way he knew how.

"She plays with me and reads to me and gives me baths and sings me to sleep, and …" The list went on and on.

Only knowing the love of a father, Kenji had promptly replied, "No, that's what a father is."

The other boy had laughed.

"Only a mommy can love you like that stupid, fathers just go to work. Mommies are all the time."

The other boy of course, did not have a very good relationship with his own father and thereby clung to his mother in retaliation. Kenji, being an only child and having a single parent couldn't have understood this and accepted his explanation as the norm. Meaning his father was hiding his mommy somewhere away from him.

Kenshin would never forget the frightfully serious argument he had had with his three year-old son. Even after swearing he wasn't keeping his mother from him and that father's were all the time parents as well (secretly wishing to find and beat some sense into the father who thought otherwise) Kenji had suddenly become distant. The only consolation he had felt after that was he had not only distanced himself from his father but everyone in general. The boy was no longer sociable with the others his age and usually played alone. Kenshin couldn't imagine the effect this would have when he was old enough to go to school.

A simple enough solution, he realized, was to find someone to be a motherly figure to the boy. The only problem was Kenshin was not interested in anyone. He doubted he would be ever again, after what his wife had done to him.

_Ex-wife_, he mentally corrected. The divorce had just been finalized and approved the year before, after three years of waiting. His lawyer had informed him when he had filed that since they had no idea where his wife was they had to wait and give her enough time to decide if she wanted to come back or not.

Kenshin had mixed feelings about that thought; he wished for, hoped against, was afraid, and desperately ached that she would show back up. At first. He knew, though, that she never would. The heartless bitch had left him the moment the baby was born and she could leave the hospital. Left him because his business was failing and he was almost bankrupt. A small, humorless chuckle erupted from his throat. Bet she was thinking twice about it now.

Not a few months after Kenji was born, Kenshin finally pulled himself out of the bottle and back into the driver's seat of his life. Thanks to his old master, and now adopted father, who seemed determined to keep him alive and torture him with the life he had made his own. "Deal with it!" He'd told him forcefully. "Life sucks, she wasn't good enough, but she still gave you something in that boy of yours. If you can't live for yourself, live for him." So even though his heart was still sore from the abandonment of his wife, he knew that he had an even more important person to take care of now. One that he'd left in the care of some strange nurse that he didn't even remember hiring. His beautiful son, whom he realized with relief, looked nothing like his mother.

Shortly after he took over the control of his business again, which was just barely making it because of another good friend of his. A couple months later sales skyrocketed and he was now one of the richest men in Japan.

"Take that, Tomoe, you back-stabbing, money hungry, two-faced lying…"

He let his voice trail off as a stab of pain tightened his chest muscles. All of that she may have been, but he had loved her, or at least loved who she had pretended to be. Now, he realized, that the only thing that had been real about her that he still loved was the son he was now late for picking up.

x

Kenji sat quietly on a bench in the park, watching the blossoms of the cherry trees rustle with the wind. The five other children he was with were only a few feet away, playing in the sand and slipping down the slide. The matron who watched over them was an older lady with graying hair and spectacles. The eyes behind them were kind and at times serious, but everyone liked her. This included Kenji, of course, but he just wasn't interested in playing or talking. He didn't feel he was able to because he was an outcast, someone unlike the others. Kenji was motherless.

A small, unchild-like sigh escaped the boy's lips and his young body slumped dejectedly. Where was his mother and why wasn't she with him? Didn't she love him? If not, what had he done wrong? Was he bad? Did he cause her pain? Did his daddy not want her around? Was he jealous that Kenji would no longer want to be around him? He shook his head. No, his daddy was kind and he loved him a bunch, and he believed in his dad. Which meant it was his fault that his mommy wasn't around. Kenji felt tears prick at the back of his eyes and forcefully blinked them away. He would not cry in front of the others. He would not let them know that their taunting hurt him so much.

Kenji felt the bench move with the weight of someone else sitting next to him, but didn't look up. He didn't want to talk to anybody, especially if they were going to tease him about his red hair. When the person spoke to him, though, he was not expecting the sweet yet mysterious voice of a woman to meet his ears.

"What's wrong, little one? You look too old for your age."

Kenji looked up into a pair of bright sapphire eyes that held a world of worry and love and laughter and sorrow. Through all this she smiled softly down at him and her pale face seemed to be heightened by the deep black hair falling over her shoulder and framing her face. At his continued scrutiny her smile widened.

"Is there something on my face?"

The lady screwed up her eyes and made a show of trying to look for some imaginary speck of dirt. Kenji smiled at her but didn't laugh, he hadn't laughed in a long time. She finally stopped trying, but didn't seem discouraged by the less than enthusiastic response from the four year-old. Smiling again she bowed her head slightly to him.

"My name is Kaoru."

Still the boy didn't respond, just kept staring intently. The lady, Kaoru, tilted her head to the side and bit her bottom lip through her smile.

"And I bet you're not supposed to talk to strangers. What a very smart boy you are. I'll leave you alone then so you won't get into trouble."

Kaoru stood up and winked conspiratorially at the upraised face before walking away. Five feet from the bench Kenji snapped out of his reverie and jumped up to run after her. A strange feeling in his chest told him not to let her go. Slamming into her suddenly, he wrapped his arms tightly around her leg before bursting out at her startled, yet pleased face.

"Kenji, my name is Kenji."

"Kenji." Kaoru let her hand drop onto the top of his head to smooth down the thick, silky locks. "What a strong name you have." She smiled down at him again.

"Would you push me on the swing Kaoru-san?"

The smile widened.

"If your lovely matron would approve."

Kenji looked over his shoulder to find the onna-san staring curiously at the pair in front of her. For a few moments she said nothing as she closely inspected the suddenly enthusiastic and anxious face of the small boy. Finally a small smile tilted her lips and she nodded.

"I think that would be just fine."

Kenji grinned widely and instantly began pulling Kaoru over to the swings nearest the other five children. For the most part they were ignored, the others thinking there would be no fun in playing with an adult. For Kenji, though, he enjoyed himself to the point of actually laughing out loud for the first time in months. Kaoru pushed him on the swing, dug with him in the sand, drew chalk pictures on the sidewalk, and spent the remainder of the day letting the red head lead her around.

For Kaoru, she was enamored with the small child whose hair stood out like a beacon. Immediately she had wished to touch it, but what had finally drawn her to him was the look of immense abandonment about him. It was a sentiment she was familiar with. He looked like he needed to be cheered up and that instantly had her sensitive heart aching to cuddle him and make him smile. Motherly instincts kicking in for the sweet mannered boy, she acted like any woman with a heart would towards a hurt child; she loved him.

When it came time for the children to leave for the center to wait for their parents, Kenji did not want to go. Clinging onto the loose pants of the small woman, he made her promise to come back and play with him again. Kaoru smiled and promised that she would look for him every day that week. As a reward for this much needed statement, the boy promptly pulled on her shirt so she would lean over and he gave her a kiss. Startled for a second, Kaoru looked slightly stunned before hugging the child and kissing him back, then gently pushed him after the others. Kaoru waved as they disappeared and continued to stare long after they were gone.

X

Kenshin showed up twenty minutes late and apologized profusely to the kind lady that watched his precious son. She merely laughed it off and told him not to worry about it.

"Kenji-chan has been an angel." She laughed again. "Not that he isn't every day, but he's been in a particularly good mood this afternoon."

"Really?" Kenshin perked up slightly. Maybe, just maybe, the boy would let him get away with cuddling and pampering him the way he hadn't been able to do for the past year.

"Yes, you'll see what I mean. Kenji-chan!" The matron raised her voice slightly to yell at the boy. "Pack your things, your father's here."

There was an immediate scamper of small feet and before Kenshin could react he found himself with a handful of red hair and short limbs. Kenji looked back at him with happy and content deep blue-violet eyes. Kenshin stared in shock when he laughed.

"Daddy! Guess what!"

Kenshin smiled widely, pulling himself out of his shock.

"What's that, Kenji?"

"I made a friend today! She's fun! She pushed me on the swing, and played in the sand with me, and…"

The boy went off into an elaborate detail of the day's events. Kenshin listened intently, locking unfairly onto the fact that it was a girl. Looking to the matron curiously, needing an explanation, she laughed before indulging him.

"A nice young lady stopped by the park today, and the boy just latched onto her."

Kenshin's face fell instantly.

"You let a stranger near my child?" His voice hardened slightly at the thought of the easy prey his son would make. Especially in his sullen mood, but now, he looked at the happy boy, it would be even easier if they made friends first and gained his trust.

"Himura-san, she was extremely sweet and gentle with the boy. She even asked my permission before she played with him."

"How do you know she's not planning on earning your trust first? Do you even know this girl's name? How old she is? Anything?"

The lady stared at Kenshin in shock. You'd think the man was actually angry that his forever sullen son was finally smiling and laughing.

At the small hand smacking Kenshin in the face, both the adults turned surprised eyes on the boy. The look on his face said he was hurt and angry, and the fierce little eyes were directed at Kenshin.

"Her name's Kaoru and she's my friend. You're just jealous because she likes me and I like her back."

"Kenji, that's not…"

"No! I hate you! You don't want me to have a mommy! You want me all to yourself! You're afraid she'll take me away! You're afraid she'll love me and not you! I hate you!"

Kenshin was slightly baffled by the string of accusations, but the hurt and unshed tears overrode his curiosity and all he could comprehend was the loathing his son felt for him.

"Kenji, yes I'm afraid she'll take you away, but not like that. I would never deny you a mother's love."

"Then where's my mother?!"

Kenshin's jaw snapped shut and the muscles tightened in fury at the mention of her. Never. He would never let that woman anywhere near his child.

"Not here." Was the only response he could bite out before bowing stiffly to the matron and walking out the door, his son once again sullen and un-talkative. Some part of him knew it was unfair to yell at the boy when he couldn't understand why he didn't have a mother like everyone else. Still, it hurt and confused him to try and talk about it. What could he say to him? That she had left him there because she didn't want to have anything to do with him. That would break the poor boy's heart.

Looking over his shoulder at the boy staring miserably out the window of the car, Kenshin realized just how nice it was to see him laugh again. Though he was utterly against his son associating with strangers, he had to admit there had to have been something about this girl that made Kenji instantly attracted to her. Maybe he should meet with her and her parents and decide if she would be an appropriate playmate for him.

x

Kaoru wiped absently at the sweat dripping off her hair and down into her face. Today had been a good training day. The ten students she had all worked hard for her, which made her feel good. So in return she had worked equally as hard for them, even if she was slightly distracted.

It had been five days since she had met the little red-headed Kenji, and she already could admit to herself that he had stolen her heart. There was such an air of loneliness about him and a need to be loved. Something she could not deny she felt and dealt with everyday since her father had died four years before. Seeing her own need for affection in another was probably what drew her to him.

Sadly, though, she had only had the chance to play with him that one day. The two after she had religiously shown up at the same park like she had promised, but they never came. At the time she had shrugged it off, thinking of millions of reasons why they would not be able to come. Kaoru was never able to stay long herself anyway, as she had a job she had taken at a restaurant to help with the dojo's bills. On the third day, however, she did not have to work and she went to the park after training in high hopes that the boy would be there.

Upon arriving she had found her wish granted. The five other children were happily playing tag while the little red-head sat dejectedly on the same bench, their matron not far away. Only steps away from the boy she watched him look up and the bright smile that lit his face echoed onto hers.

"Kaoru!" Kenji shouted the name gleefully, jumping off the bench and running into her leg, squeezing tightly.

"Hey you little firecracker." Kaoru rubbed a hand over his hair affectionately, taking joy in the face he made at the weird endearment.

"Firecracker?"

"Yep, you remind me of one."

"Because of my hair?" Kenji's face fell suddenly, thinking she was going to tease him.

"No." Kaoru shook her head. "Firecrackers can be many colors, but all of them are full of energy, and bursts of life. They are fiery, and strong. Beautiful too."

"Oh." The boy screwed up his face, trying to digest her words. Kaoru waited patiently for his assessment.

"So you like me." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes."

His face lit up again. "Ok, I like it."

Kaoru giggled, and then turned to the matron who had walked up to silently watching their affectionate embrace and conversation. Kaoru smiled brightly at the older woman, but her return smile was more than a little sad.

"Kaoru-san, may I talk to you alone please?"

"Sure." Kaoru answered back in confusion which only deepened at the somberness of the child when he walked away to the bench.

"What's wrong?"

"First let me say that if only for the mere fact that you have made Kenji-chan smile and laugh again I approve of your presence."

"But?" Kaoru felt that she would not like what she was about to hear.

"Kenji-chan's father, Himura-san, doesn't approve of strangers near his son. Therefore…"

"You would like for me to leave." Kaoru's face fell slightly and she glanced over at the sad boy.

"Yes, he was very adamant about this."

"I see."

"So, Himura-san would like to meet with you first before he will allow you to play with his son."

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise, she had not been expecting that.

"What?"

"He said that he would not deny his son a playmate but will not allow it until he approves."

Playmate? Approval? Kaoru's mind laughed a little hysterically. Did he think she was a child? If so, was he seriously thinking about putting a "child" through an interview just so that "child" could play with his? Her father had been protective but this went a little beyond that to almost possessive.

"Kaoru-san? Are you alright?"

Kaoru shook her head to clear it. "Yeah. Uh, when did he say he wanted to meet?"

The woman sighed, almost in exasperation. "He didn't, but he always picks up Kenji at the same time everyday. Are you available tonight?"

"Tonight? Well, I couldn't possibly meet him like this." Kaoru made a gesture at the holey jeans and comfortable t-shirt she had on. "I think I'd want to at least try to impress him a little, not scare him off by looking like a bum."

The woman silently agreed, thinking the stubborn man would probably jump on her clothes as an excuse to refuse his son near her.

"You're probably right. What about tomorrow?"

Kaoru sighed. "I have to work the next three days; there would be no way I could stay late enough."

"Himura-san works close to ten hour days himself. So there would be no way he could stop by earlier." The woman thought for a little while. "I'll talk to him."

Kaoru looked at her sheepishly, not really looking forward to meeting this man. "I don't suppose his wife would be able to meet with me instead?" Kaoru thought that since Kenji was in a day care center, Himura-san's wife obviously worked during the day as well.

"Oh." The woman's eyes went wide a little. "Himura-san is not married, and no one else is allowed to collect Kenji from me."

"Oh!" Kaoru almost bit her tongue. "I guess that's a no then." She bit her lip in a fit of nervousness. "You wouldn't know why not would you?"

"No, he doesn't talk about it. All I know is that Kenji-chan's never known a mother, that's probably why he likes you so much."

"Oh." That meant she was probably dead. There was no way that any woman would be able to leave behind their child. Especially one so adorable and eager to please as this one.

"Well, ok, umm, how about I give you a number to call to get a hold of me when you find out."

"That would be great." The old matron took out a sheet of paper and a pencil from her purse, handing both to Kaoru. "I really appreciate that you are going through so much trouble just to spend time with Kenji-chan. The boy really needs it."

Kaoru looked up from the paper in surprise, and then smiled at her brightly. "There's no need for thanks, something just draws me to him." Kaoru looked over her shoulder at the small red-head kicking at the dirt with his shoe. "I think we need each other." When Kaoru turned back the older woman was smiling.

That had been two days ago, and Kaoru hadn't heard anything from the lady. Kenji had almost cried when she had left after giving her phone number to the matron. It had almost broken her heart to see him that way, but there wasn't much help for it. She could not have stayed, and if she did his father could have easily called the cops on her.

Walking into the house, Kaoru sighed heavily and directed her feet towards the bathroom for a quick shower. With one foot halfway in, Kaoru heard the phone ring, making her heart jump and her body freeze. When it rang a second time she threw a towel around herself and took off down the hall to answer, slightly breathless.

"Hello. Kamiya residence."

"May I speak to the head of the house?" The voice was male, and nobody she recognized, yet it was familiar almost. He sounded very straightforward and there was something underneath that was dark and brooding that screamed of mystery. _Definitely sexy_, she decided.

"You're speaking with her."

"Kamiya-san, my name is Himura Kenshin," Kaoru jumped in surprise, not expecting him to call personally. "I've heard much about Kaoru from my son, Kenji." Kaoru's eyebrow lifted, and a bud of amusement burst in her chest, pushing aside her surprise. "It seems they wish to spend time together but I'm afraid I do not feel comfortable with the idea without first meeting with you and the girl." Biting her lip hard, Kaoru fought her laughter. It was quickly becoming obvious that the man probably thought this "Kaoru" was fourteen. "Kenji has been going through a rough time, and I do not wish for him to get hurt."

Amusement fading, Kaoru remembered what had drawn her to the boy in the first place. He was a lonely child that was in desperate need of companionship. Playing along without thinking about how amusing it still was, Kaoru cleared her throat and hoped she sounded normal "I understand, Himura-san. Did you have a particular time to meet in mind?"

"Since today is Saturday and I'm not required to be in the office, I thought sometime this afternoon or evening, if that is agreeable with you."

"Oh," Kaoru bit her bottom lip worriedly,. "I do have to be at work in a of couple hours. How about tomorrow?"

"That would be fine. Since the park is a familiar setting for Kaoru and my son, how about we meet there?"

"Ok. Time?"

"One o'clock."

"Alright. I shall see you then, Himura-san."

"Good-bye, Kamiya-san."

Kaoru hung up the phone, a little surprised, a little amused, but also a bit dizzy and confused. Himura's voice was definitely exciting but his manner of speaking with her was withdrawn and distant, almost as if he really wanted nothing to do with her. Well, that was fine; she only wanted to spend time with Kenji anyway, not his father. All she needed to do was convince the man to let her around his son and nothing more.

Running back to the bathroom she jumped into the shower and quickly washed off her sweaty body and hair. Walking back to her room, clean and content, she caught a glimpse of the clock and squeaked in dismay. She only had an hour before she had to be at the Akabeko for her shift. Training had definitely run over today.

Rushing into her room she hurriedly brushed her long hair and began coaxing it up into a complicated knot at the back of her head. Jerking her head experimentally, she deemed it worthy and then grabbed the waiting kimono. Cursing colorfully, in a way that would have either made her father blush or laugh, she complained about the uniform her boss, Tae, required all the employees to wear. They looked good, but they were so hard to move freely in, and tying the obi in a way that kept it out of the way was tiring and difficult.

Sighing at the last tug, she ran back out to the front door, sliding on a pair of sandals, and then took off to the front gate. Kaoru really hoped she wasn't late again.

x

Kenshin sighed after hanging up the phone, slumping back into his chair as he watched Kenji uninterestedly piling up the pillows on the couch. The woman on the phone had sounded young. Certainly not old enough to have a teenage daughter. Of course, all he had gotten out of her were two word sentences, so it was a little hard to tell much of anything about her. Perhaps she was an older sister and because of family circumstances she was taking care of her sister by herself. She was working late shifts, so she was most likely struggling to keep them both feed, clothed and sheltered. This he could find impressive. He wondered if the girl, Kaoru, worked as well. That would mean she was at least a teenager. He still couldn't quite figure out what a teenager would want out of entertaining a four year old? A sudden thought came into his mind that made him slightly angry. What if this was some stupid plot by his ex to win over or steal his son away from him just to get his money? The money did not bother him; it was the fact that his son would be the one injured in all of it.

Just as the anger started to get that best of him, his son piped up happily from behind the wall of cushions.

"Are we going to see Kaoru-san today?"

His voice sounded so hopeful and the shining eyes that poked over the edge of his soft fortress were too much for Kenshin to take. Smiling back at the sudden interest on Kenji's face, he felt a small pang that he would not be able to let him have what he wanted. Throwing the bad thoughts of this girl from his mind, he reminded himself that he had not even met her yet or her guardian, and therefore had no right to judge her so quickly.

"Kamiya-san is busy today, Kenji." The boy's face began to fall, and he swiftly continued. "But she promised to meet with us tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" The boy's face became thoughtful. "Ok!" Jumping forward suddenly, he knocked over all the pillows, throwing himself into a fit of giggles. The sound made Kenshin smile, he was so glad the boy had finally come out of his shell.

"Kenji, would you like to go to the zoo today?" He still felt he needed to make it up to him, even if he was content to wait until tomorrow.

Kenji jumped up off the pillows, his eyes lighting up. "Now?"

"Yes now." Kenshin laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Yeah!" Running off through the door, Kenshin heard him dart up the stairs to his room. He shook his head and hoped he put on a decent set of clothes, instead of the mismatched outfit like the last time he had dressed himself.

Getting up as well, he walked quietly to his own room, thinking he might take Kenji to a restaurant a friend of his had told him about that week. Something about it being traditional and quiet. Kenji might enjoy something new, or better yet old, for a change.

x

Kaoru's feet hurt. After six hours of running around from customer to customer and from there to the kitchens she felt like her feet were about to wear off. Walking back into the kitchen she sighed and let the fake smile slip off of her face, rolling her eyes at her friend as she walked out. Misao giggled at the look and patted her arm comfortingly.

"Two more hours, Hun. You can make it."

"Yeah, hopefully before my feet crumple."

Misao laughed again and swept out. Or really bounced. Where she came up with the energy, Kaoru would never know. Shaking her head, Kaoru grabbed her next order and walked quickly back out to the fat, ugly man who kept trying to sneak a feel. Hurrying past, she saw Tae signal her to another table where she had just seated someone. Nodding her understanding, she smiled brightly at the fat guy, neatly dodged his wandering hand (trying hard not to grimace) sat down his dessert and hurried away.

Pulling out a pad from her long apron, she walked up on the new customers, intent on taking their orders, and then froze at the shock of red hair. Letting her eyes wander down to the face she found two amethyst eyes staring fondly at the person sitting directly in front of him. _This must be Himura-san_, a fuzzy part of her brain told her. Nobody else could have such red hair and shocking resemblances to Kenji. Although they were sharpened and much more defined in his face than the boys. _Attractive_, her insistent mind told her. Shaking her head she tried to concentrate on the voice coming from the other person she couldn't see.

"…the tigers had red hair like us. Kaoru said she likes my red hair, do you think she'll like yours too?"

"I don't know. What do you think?" The question was innocently asked with as much amusement in the tone as wariness that reflected in his eyes.

"Yeah, I think so." Was the thoughtful reply.

That was when Kaoru realized she was just standing, rooted to the spot. A little help came from Misao bumping into her playfully, before leaning in to whisper, "Don't stare too long, he might disappear."

"Huh?" Kaoru turned questioning eyes on her.

"Come on, Kaoru-chan, it's obvious the guy's hot, but you can't just stand here gawking all day. Go take his order." Misao said this a little suggestively, producing a blush on the older waitress. "Come on, you're blocking the road."

"Oh!" Kaoru turned quickly to find the red-head looking at her curiously. Blushing again, this time in shame at her nervousness, she determinedly walked the rest of the distance to the booth. She really wished he would look away from her though; those eyes of his were making her mouth dry up.

Coming up to the table she found Kenji still yakking on about animals, she could only guess they had gone to a zoo, and her smile suddenly came back. Only this time it was real.

"Hello, my name is Kaoru and I'll be taking care of you tonight."

Kaoru's smile widened when the boy's eyes shot from his father to her and lit up excitedly.

"Kaoru!" Jumping up from his seat, he barreled into the kimono clad woman, locking his arms around her legs.

"Hey, you little firecracker." She spoke gently, stroking the soft, red hair out of his face so she could see his eyes. They lit up happily with his grin.

Kenshin sat quietly, surveying the exchange in a small state of shocked surprise. This woman was not the young girl he had suspected her to be, and her voice… He recognized her voice. She was the woman he had spoken with on the phone, and although she was young, she was…for lack of a better word, beautiful. The smile that spread across her face when she had seen Kenji had lit up her eyes and made them sparkle. Kenshin was surprised to find that he wanted her to smile at him like that. Then she laughed and the sound washed over him, lightening his mood even more. _No wonder Kenji was drawn to her, she's like a bright light in the darkness of the world._

"Are you eating with us?"

"No, Kenji-chan, I'm your waitress. I'm the one who will be bringing you your food, ok?"

"But you are staying?" Kenji's face lost a little of its brightness.

"I'll be around, don't worry."

"Ok."

"Is this your friend, Kenji?"

Kenji let go of Kaoru only long enough to whirl around and face his father.

"Yep! This is Kaoru. Kaoru this is Dad."

Kaoru laughed in good-nature at the child's introduction, and Kenshin couldn't help but smile in reply to the infectious noise. Quieting finally, Kaoru bowed respectfully towards Kenshin, her hands on Kenji's shoulders.

"Kamiya Kaoru, and I assume you are Himura Kenshin. There's really no mistaking you as Kenji's father." Rubbing a hand up over the boy's hair she smiled mischievously at him. "I apologize for not making myself clear on the phone. I'm afraid I found it rather amusing that you didn't realize you were speaking with the 'girl.'"

"My fault entirely." He chuckled in good-nature at his own mistake, making goose-bumps jump up on her flesh. _He has a nice laugh_, she decided. "Well, I hadn't really planned on bumping into you until tomorrow. I hope you don't mind our intrusion."

Kaoru smiled brightly at him, making his breath catch in his throat. "Of course not, though I'm afraid we won't get much time to talk. I do have other customers to attend to."

Kenshin gave a start of guilt at realizing they were taking up a lot of her time. "I'm sorry, we should really order and let you go, shouldn't we?"

Kaoru just smiled and hugged the boy once before helping him back into his seat. Taking her pad back out again, she asked, "Ok, what can I get for you?"

Kenshin quickly told her their choices for drinks, and then watched her make a couple notes on her pad before slipping it back into a pocket at her hip. The bright smile on her face never left as she helped his son back into the booth-like seats a second time, this time showing him how to sit correctly on the cushions. A small smile tugged at Kenshin's lips, it wouldn't last long; Kenji would be sprawled out soon if he knew anything about his son.

Kaoru brushed his hair back once more before telling him she would be right back, and then disappeared around the corner. Kenshin found he could not help but watch her leave. There was something about her movements that fascinated him. She screamed of a graceful discipline that was more than just natural feminine aptitude. _Very attractive_, his mind informed him. Shaking his head wonderingly, he forced the thought out. Kenji was talking again and he could not just ignore him now that he finally wanted his attention.

When Kaoru came back with their drinks, Kenji was talking about the pandas and how they got so big just by eating leaves. Once again Kaoru distracted him with just her presence, and he jumped into questions about when they would get to play together again.

"Well, little one, I think we have a date tomorrow at one." At this she turned to Kenshin with a quizzical look, asking without words if that was still correct. Kenshin nodded once, trying not to let her wording bother him.

Kenji's face lit up. "You and Daddy both going to play with me?"

Kaoru shot Kenshin an uncertain look.

"That's right, Kenji."

Kaoru's eyes widened at bit in uncertainty as he replied without hesitation, but Kenshin only smiled disarmingly while Kenji made noises to express his delight.

"Yay! You'll push us both in the swings?" Kenji's question was directed at Kaoru, bringing forth a mental image of both the red-heads in a swing set unbidden to her mind. Abruptly Kaoru began to giggle, holding up a hand to cover her mouth. Kenshin himself looked extremely amused.

"No, Kenji, just you." Kenshin spoke to the boy, seeing as the woman wouldn't be able to if she didn't breathe sometime soon. Surprisingly Kenji's face fell faintly before he turned to Kaoru again.

"You don't like my daddy?"

Kaoru's brows came together at the question, asked innocently enough, but it was apparent that it was a sore subject for the child. Sitting down on the edge next to him, Kaoru placed an arm around his shoulders.

"That's not it, Kenji-chan." She leaned closer to mock whisper in his ear. "I just think he'd be too big for the swing, and a little too heavy for me to push."

Kenji giggled happily while Kenshin pretended to be offended by the comment.

"I beg your pardon, but I am not that much bigger than yourself and I don't think I would have a problem pushing you. Then again, I can see how a woman would." Kenshin only meant it as a joke, but the look that flashed across her face said she took it otherwise.

Kaoru's eyes went flat, narrowing in anger as she leveled a glare across the table. The reaction was almost instinctive now, as she had a lot of similar comments thrown at her when she had taken over the teaching and management of her father's dojo. Taking a deep breath she reminded herself just exactly where she was and why she couldn't punch him in the head. Instantly her scowl was replaced by a sweet smile.

"I think, **sir**, that you underestimate me. I assure you that you would have **many** problems trying to handle me, size and gender aside. Now if you are not ready to order, I have others to attend to." Her voice was falsely cheery with an undertone of venom and hurt. That she dropped back into calling him "sir" like any other customer told him she was angry, but he hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. Kenshin felt slightly ashamed of himself, but he found he was more upset that he had destroyed the lightly teasing atmosphere.

"Daddy?" Kenshin turned to the confused and somewhat hurt look on his son's face. "Is Kaoru-san mad at us? Does she hate us now?"

"No, Kenji. She's mad at me, not you."

"Why is she mad at you? Does she really not like you then?"

"I said something rude, Kenji. Something I shouldn't have." _Apparently_, he added to himself.

"Oh." His eyes looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Then you need to apologize, right?"

Kenshin smiled. "Yes, I need to apologize."

"Then she'll like you again." Kenji stated matter-of-factly, making Kenshin chuckle. Nervously he admitted that he hoped so. He was extremely intrigued by this woman who obviously was happy, sweet, and loving by nature, having taken Kenji in almost instantly. Then, with the right incentive she could be angry and rash and jump head long into defending herself against such verbal abuse without thinking or realizing that he was only teasing her. Kenshin wondered if she was that protective of other people she considered to be her friends or loved ones. At least now he could confirm that she had absolutely no clue as to who he was. Nobody dared talk back to him at work, or outside for that matter, even as sweetly as she had. He briefly toyed with the idea that she probably would have done more if they were not in the present company. Kenshin grinned in amusement.

Kaoru walked from customer to customer fuming and muttering under her breath. _Bastard, making such a comment. What is it with men always falling back on gender to explain differences between people?_ She slammed dirty dishes down in the kitchen, receiving a few startled looks and numerous smirks from the cooks. Kamiya Kaoru's temper was almost legendary at the restaurant. They wondered who pissed her off this time, then momentarily felt sorry for the poor bastard.

Grabbing another order she stalked back out to the floor, plastering a cheerful smile on her face. Misao passed her and gave her a weird look, showing that the smile was probably not as effective as she had hoped. Grinding her teeth together, she shrugged it off, delivered the food, asked the normal questions, and then stalked back to the kitchen. All the while promising herself that she was not avoiding the red-heads, merely giving them time to look over the selections.

After slamming dishes down for the fifth time she was confronted by Misao.

"Kaoru-san…Himura-san said he was ready to order now if you are ready to help them." Curiosity was written all over the small girl's face. Why would Kaoru be mad at this man and how were they already on a name basis?

Kaoru rolled her eyes in frustration. _Looks like I'll have to help them now, before Tae finds out. _Thankfully the man had stopped Misao instead.

"Thank you." The reply was grit out through clenched teeth, trying for at least a false bravado, but failing utterly. Misao looked slightly worried and placed a hand on her arm.

"Do you want me to take over that table? You don't look happy with them."

The idea was tempting, but she had no wish to harm the boy by totally ignoring them. "No, Misao-chan, I think I can handle it. If the idiot doesn't make any more rude comments."

"He insulted you?" Misao's cheery smile dropped into an angry sneer at the nerve of someone attacking her friend. "Do you want me to teach him a lesson?"

Kaoru laughed; glad she had her as a friend. "No, I'll be fine." Patting Misao on the shoulder, she walked back out to the floor and straight over to the Himura's table.

Coming into view she offered the brightest smile she could muster to the violet gaze of the older red-head. Kenshin had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the absurdly fake look. Instead of chuckling like he wanted to, he kept his gaze somber and serious, watching her movements and expression intently. When she finally stood in front of the table, the pad already out of her apron and in her hand, he too stood and bowed politely in front of her before she had spoken more than two words.

"I apologize, Kamiya-san, for my rude comment. It was unnecessary and uncalled for. I had no intention of hurting your feelings and once again I apologize. Please forgive me."

Kaoru stared in shock at the polite (_extremely polite_) bowed form in front of her. Nobody had ever apologized to her before. Well, usually they did but not until after she showed them the wrong end to be on of her bokken or fist.

When Kenshin finally rose from his position, Kaoru had already overcome her shock and was smiling happily once again. Glad that his groveling had achieved the desired affect, he smiled back.

"Thank you, Himura-san. Your apology is very much appreciated." He lifted a brow at this, but decided not to comment. "But since you did hurt my feelings, I think a payment is in order." Both brows shot up this time, noticing the mischievous look now back in her eyes.

"That being?"

Kaoru's expression turned thoughtful. "I'll just have to think about it." Then she grinned. "Now, what do you two want to eat?"


	2. Budding Emotions

Disclaimer: …do I really have to say anything?

**Chapter 2: Budding Emotions**

Kenshin sat down in his chair with a sigh of relief. Kenji was finally in bed, sleeping soundly, and the house was finally all his. Kami-sama knew he loved spending time with his son, but with work demanding most of his attention during the day, and the rest going towards him at home, he really needed this time to think by himself.

Mainly, he realized, about the blue-eyed, care-free girl who had stolen the heart of his son. A month ago they had accidentally met at the restaurant, and he had unintentionally hurt her feelings. He smiled briefly at the payment she had demanded, which had only turned out to be that he back up his words and prove that he could push her on the swing. Between her and Kenji he'd nearly worn himself out running back and forth with their encouraging yells for more.

Truthfully, he had to admit that he had been a little worried about the so called payment she had wanted out of him. At the time he had thought she would turn out to be a lot shallower than she was. Now he knew that he was only insulting her further with the thought alone.

At least now he knew why the mention of her gender had upset her so badly. His mind abruptly shifted back to her reaction at his tease. Eventually she had told him about her father's dojo and the trouble she'd had four years earlier when she'd taken over. There were still times now when her teaching was questioned, but it was usually only from newer students. The grin she had given him then still made him laugh. Apparently those new students learned their place quickly, after she soundly beat them into the ground that is.

Working at the Akabeko had turned out to be a side job to help with the expenses. Kenshin had felt a surge of pride and admiration at this admission. Obviously she did not like relying on anyone else, and worked hard to keep all she had all her own. This, at least, destroyed any lingering doubts in his mind about her motives. Kaoru was such an open and honest person that he doubted she could ever lie to him anyway. This fact alone made her all the more appealing in his eyes.

So what was he hoping for? That she would want him along with the boy? It seemed such an impossibility. Especially since she only showed politeness and the occasional mischievousness towards him. Hell, she didn't even use his first name when she addressed him, no matter how many times he asked her to. It was like she was determined to keep some kind of distance between them. Even if she swore that it was only because Kenshin-san didn't sound right, and she wouldn't just call him Kenshin because it was too disrespectful.

_Maybe she really doesn't like me. _

Kenshin shook his head in frustration_. I shouldn't be entertaining any feelings for her anyway. She's eleven years younger than me, has a whole life ahead of her, and doesn't need somebody with a kid weighing her down. _ Though he admitted they already took up almost all of her free time.

Kaoru spent every afternoon she could with Kenji, and then every Saturday and Sunday she didn't have to work with the both of them. Belatedly he realized that she could be a little irritated that she had no time to herself for any friends she had, or boyfriends for that matter. Frowning, something sour rolled over in his stomach. It was strangely unnerving to think of somebody touching her intimately. _No one is good enough for her. No one should be allowed to touch her in such ways._ _That innocent, child-like personality is too pure to be stained by some jerk only out looking for something her beautiful, slim body could give him._

Kenshin sighed again at the direction his thoughts had taken. How had that girl bewitched him so quickly?

Stretching languidly, moaning at the cracks that worked up his spine, he dropped the matter in his mind. He really needed to get to bed anyway, he had an early morning to look forward to the next day and he was terribly lacking in sleep.

x

Kaoru sighed happily as she dunked herself fully into the bath of steaming water. Every one of her muscles ached, some in good ways, others in bad. Her morning workout had her body singing in a beautiful exhaustion by afternoon, but after she'd been at work for a few hours her body just felt plain worn out. Now close to eleven at night, her feet, back, legs, and shoulders felt like dead weights.

Letting herself drift freely in the water, she did the same with her tired mind. Not surprisingly it caught snuggly on a certain red-head. The boy was so starved for attention and love that she couldn't deny it to him. Though this meant that most of her time was spent with him and his father, she really had no objections. Misao did complain sometimes about her never going out anymore, but it wasn't like she had ever really enjoyed it too much anyway. Yeah she enjoyed being with Misao, and clubbing with her was always entertaining not to mention she loved to dance, it just seemed that every time they decided to do something her little friend would try to surprise her with another blind date. Kaoru was not interested in a love life like the kind that Misao had, which meant going through guys like she did hair ties. Kaoru snickered. This was something she would never understand when it came to her young friend. It wasn't like she slept with all of them, or any of them for that matter. Misao had told her long ago that she would only go farther with someone it felt right with. This was the only thing that they agreed on when it came to men. Otherwise, Misao had no problem playing the field to find Mr. Right.

Besides Misao her other friends weren't the type to want to go out, simply because they had jobs and careers to see to. Kaoru sighed, maybe she did miss her small social life, but she just couldn't seem to say no to the little fireball. And if she was going to be completely honest with herself, it wasn't only because of him.

Kaoru grinned ruefully. So she had a thing for red-heads. So what? Couldn't she admire the father without it being wrong? For God's sake, he was beautiful! With that hair and those curious violet eyes and the way he walked which cried of sword discipline, she just knew it did. That was the only reason she had even brought up her dojo in the first place. But no! He hadn't even hinted to the fact that he'd studied any time during his life. Just listened attentively like he always did when she spoke, with that half-amused, half-eager expression in his eyes. It was like he was taking all of it in willingly, but was still somewhat surprised and delighted that she was speaking at all. He was so confusing!

Kaoru felt the frustration build up again and almost tore her hair out. He always seemed so happy to see her, but was nothing more than polite and never spoke about himself, only Kenji. Though he never objected to her questioning him, he always neatly danced around anything pertaining to himself. It was almost like a game now; her trying to word questions so he'd have to answer and him always finding ways out of them. Always politely and humbly. She guessed she could just come out and demand he tell her, but that always seemed too rude.

One, the only, subject that he absolutely would not speak of was Kenji's mother. She had accidentally mentioned something about her being proud of her son at one point in time, and had regretted it ever since. The look on his face had sent cold chills down her spine. His jaw had hardened, his lips had thinned out, and those beautiful amethyst eyes had swirled with gold. He'd cryptically stated that he doubted it, confusing her immensely, and then refused to talk anymore about it. Kaoru had been too afraid to bring it up again.

Other then that one time he was painfully sweet but could turn playful in the blink of an eye. Only after she would get up enough courage to tease him though. That he made her nervous at all just showed how far she'd fallen for the man.

Kaoru sat straight up in the tub, sputtering to get the water out of her mouth and nose. No way! There was no way she was falling in love with him. A sharp jump in her chest made her biting her lip nervously. Ok, so she was. Slipping her fingers through her wet hair, she fisted them and pulled painfully. Aargh! What was she thinking? The man was older and far more attractive then she could handle. There was no way she could capture his attention in such a way, being the sweaty tomboy that she was. Guys like him went for women who were beautiful, graceful, and demur, and could probably cook. Kaoru made a face. So her cooking sucked, so what!

Sighing in exasperation, she let herself fall back into the water. What did it matter anyway? It wasn't like he saw her as anything but a playmate for his son. She couldn't even bring herself to call him by his first name. Though he had no problem when it came to hers. In fact he seemed to like her name, letting it roll off his tongue like he was caressing it.

_Mou! I'm so confused!_

Sighing again, she got out of the tub to dry off. She really needed to get some sleep.

x

Saturday morning came around like any other normal weekend. Kaoru slept in until nine, ate a late breakfast, then sat around and waited for the phone call she knew was coming.

At ten o'clock she wasn't disappointed.

"Kaoru-san?" It was Kenshin, of course.

"Yes, Himura-san?" Kaoru had to bite her lip to keep from giggling when he sighed in exasperation.

"Kenshin, it's Kenshin."

Waving a hand in the air nonchalantly, knowing full well he couldn't see it anyway, she answered back laughingly. "Yeah, yeah. So what are we doing today? The park or the zoo?"

Kaoru listened as he chuckled in amusement.

"I take it you are not busy today then?"

"Nope, my whole day is dedicated to you two."

"Are you sure? We have been monopolizing you lately."

"Don't worry about it. I have all the time in the world for the love of my life."

Kaoru had a full three seconds of blank thought before her words sunk in. _Oh my God! Did I just say that out loud?! _She barely got the thought out before she had to yank the phone away from her ear when there was a loud crash on the other end.

Tripping over one of the chairs around the dining room table, Kenshin dropped the phone trying to keep his balance, watching as it skidded across the floor. _N-nani? _Somehow he knew that the statement wasn't directed at him, but something about the way she said it made him wonder. Shaking his head he hurriedly scrambled after the phone, only to hear her worriedly asking for him on the other end.

"Y-yes, sorry, I'm still here."

"Oh good," a sigh drifted through the speaker, "I thought you had hung up on me."

"No, no. I'm afraid I tripped." Laughing nervously, Kenshin inwardly winced at the crazed way it sounded. "Clumsy me."

"Oh. Umm… you know I was talking about Kenji, right?" _Right?_ She repeated in her mind, not knowing whether she wanted him to believe her or not.

"Oh, what? Yeah, yeah, of course you were." Kenshin laughed again to try and ease the thick uneasiness that had settled between them, but failed utterly as it too came out a little strained.

"Umm, so what did you want to do today?" Kaoru quickly filled the silence that threatened.

"Oh, well, I was thinking it was a beautiful day outside, but maybe a little too hot to spend it in the park. What would you say about going to the beach?"

Kaoru felt her jaw drop. Her in a bathing suit in front of this man? _Wait a minute,_ her shock turned to humor and a latent excitement in a flash, _he'd be wearing one too. Yay!_

"Kaoru-san?"

Oh yeah, she was still on the phone.

"Yes?"

"Well? Would you like to go? Kenji's already packed and ready. We could come by and pick you up within the hour. I'll need directions, of course." Kenshin knew it was a low blow to bring Kenji into it, but he was willing to use every trick in the book to get her to come. Especially since he was going to get to see her in a swimming suit.

"Are you kidding? I'd love to go!" Kaoru giggled despite herself. Now that she thought about it, it had been a few years since she had been to the beach. Last time had been with her father actually.

Kenshin smiled at the childish innocence in her voice. _Maybe this was a better idea than I originally thought. I'll have to start thinking of more ways to get her to laugh like that._ Suddenly he really wished to see the smile that accompanied it.

"Good, now if you'll give me the address to your house I can leave now and you can get ready while you wait."

Kaoru readily agreed with this, gave him the directions, and then quickly said good-bye before running around the house to get ready. In her room she abruptly realized what a great chance this was for her to try and show that she wasn't always a tomboy. _I mean, I can't exactly wear jeans and a t-shirt to the beach right? _Giggling slightly to herself, she packed an extra set of clothing as well as a few towels and some sunscreen. _As white as I am, I'll probably burn within the hour._

_Now, what to wear… _Nervously she looked between the two suits she owned. The one piece she had picked out because it was practical, and it covered more skin. It was a bit dull, though, only being straight black in color. The bikini Misao had picked out when she thought she was going to get to drag her to a beach party. Kaoru had blatantly refused when she had seen the revealing piece of cloth. _Well, it isn't too bad, _she admitted, _and it does look good on me._ The deep blue complimented her eyes and didn't make her look too washed out.

Biting her lip she put the blue one on, and then chose what to wear over it. Deciding to keep it simple and casual, she pulled out a white ankle length skirt that she had bought back in high school. The material was thin and flowing, making it cool enough to wear despite the length, and the three layers made it so it wasn't see-through. The top she chose to go with it was a medium tan, with no sleeves and a v-neck that showed her curves nicely, if she didn't think so herself.

Just as she was about to pull out her tan sandals to complete the outfit there was a knock at the door. Dropping her shoes twice, Kaoru hurried to answer, her hair trailing unbound behind her.

Opening the front door she found herself looking at her two favorite red-heads. Kenji jumped at the sight of her, hugging her knees and excitedly telling her good morning. Laughing and hugging him back, she offered Kenshin a bright smile before asking them in.

"I still have a couple things to get, so please make yourselves at home. It'll only take a sec."

Kenshin could only smile and nod in reply, intelligent speech evading him as he stared after her retreating figure. Kaoru never wore dresses, except at work where they were required, and he had never seen her with her hair down. _Was there something I missed? _Shaking his head forcefully, he answered himself. _No, idiot, we're going to the beach, of course she'd want to wear something easy to remove_.Before he could stop the thought, his mind approved of the notion, liking the thought of her wearing something easily removable. _Dammit! Not like that! Stop torturing yourself. _

Kaoru shakily shoved a few more things in her bag, making sure to grab a brush before pulling an elastic band around her wrist and slinging the bag over her shoulder. Walking back to the front where the guys were, she found Kenshin looking around at the traditional décor and wooden floors with interest.

"How long have you lived here?" His voice was curious, but he didn't look up from his inspection.

Kaoru walked over to him slowly, dropping the bag next to the door. "My whole life. Why?"

"Really?" Kenshin ignored her question.

"Yeah, the place kinda runs in the family, along with the style I teach. The dojo's just out back," she added conversationally, hoping to get more out of him about himself and his own interests.

Kenshin finally looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know you taught in your own home."

"Well," she shrugged, "It's more convenient then going somewhere across town just to teach."

"Hmm." His reply was nonchalant, his eyes moving away from her again. "Well, are you ready to leave?"

"Sure, unless you think we should pack some food. A picnic would actually be a great idea, that way we don't have to worry about standing in line in the sun."

Kenji chose that moment to pipe up. "We brought food Kaoru-san." Wrapping his arms around her legs again, he looked up at her with a bright smile, obviously pleased with himself. Kenshin laughed at his blatant struggle to keep the secret.

"Kenji," he admonished gently, "You weren't supposed to tell, remember?"

"Oh!" The little boy looked sheepish for a minute and slapped a hand over his mouth.

Kaoru laughed and rubbed a hand over his hair affectionately. "Keeping secrets? Well, don't worry, I'm still delightfully surprised."

Kenshin smiled in relief, though he sort of already knew it would be hard for Kenji to keep anything from the girl. Watching Kaoru bend to grab her bag, he hurried over and smoothly snatched it out of her hand.

"Hey, I can carry that myself, you know." The woman huffed in annoyance, shooting a glare at him.

Kenshin merely chuckled. "I know, but you've got your hands full already." He pointed down at Kenji who refused to detach himself from her skirt. Something she had already resigned herself to. She sighed. "Fine, I like this bundle better anyway." Reaching down she picked Kenji up, laughing when he shrieked in delight as she bounced him around playfully.

Kenshin walked out ahead of the pair, closing and locking the door behind them, smiling happily at the cute picture they made. _She obviously loves the boy… she would make a great mother._ Wistfully he wondered if he would ever get the chance to find out…

Lost in his thoughts he almost ran straight into her when he passed through the gates.

"Hurry up slowpoke," she teased.

"Huh?"

"You have the keys," she pointed out at his oblivious look.

"Oh, right." Scratching his head sheepishly, he hit a button on his key remote and unlocked the car doors and then another to pop the trunk for her bag. Coming around the side he found Kaoru strapping his son in carefully, while he giggled and watched her warily when she would 'accidentally' slip and tickle him.

"Come on you two, the beach will be full by the time we get there," he teased, chuckling when they both turned and stuck their tongues out at him. "Ganging up on me now? That's not fair."

"Get used to it." Kaoru shot back before shutting Kenji's door and opening her own to climb in next to him.

Kenshin waited until she was seat-belted in and the doors were locked before starting the car and driving off. In his mind he thought about what she could have meant by her last statement. _Did that mean she would be around for awhile? Well duh, we're friends at the least by now. Of course she would be around, and we already spend a lot of time together. So what of it Himura? She was just teasing, get a grip! Stop reading into everything she says… and pay attention because she's talking to you now._

Kenshin looked over briefly to notice she was indeed waiting expectantly for him to reply.

"Sorry, I must not have heard you."

Kaoru sighed, _well so much for thinking he liked listening to me. _"Your car. I was just commenting on how nice it is."

"Umm… thank you," he replied uncertainly, noticing the sad look that had entered her eyes and feeling a blossom of panic start… _What did I do wrong?!_

"Must have been expensive?" Kaoru pushed hesitantly, trying once again to get him to talk about himself, but not really feeling up to the verbal dance at the moment.

"I guess so, but I wasn't too concerned with the cost as long as it was safe enough for Kenji to ride in."

There he went again, turning everything back around to Kenji. Kaoru almost tore out her hair in frustration.

"Do you buy anything for yourself?" Kaoru felt the words spill out, and then almost bit her tongue off at the rude tone and wording.

"Huh? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know, because you might want it," she finished harshly, throwing manners to the four winds and deciding that if she was going to dig herself a hole she might as well make it a good one.

"But there's nothing I want." The statement was quick, frantic, worried that she had guessed at what was really on his mind lately… the only thing he really wanted for himself. Mind distracted, he didn't notice the small flash of hurt in her eyes.

Kaoru couldn't help the hurt and disappointment that filled her at his words, even though she knew she had no right to. It wasn't like he hung around her for his sake, it was all for Kenji, the only person who would ever be important in his life. Just as she found this touching and endearing for such a quality to be in someone, it also irritated her a little. That he loved his son that much was amazing, but what was he going to do when his son grew up? How was the boy going to react when he started becoming independent? How would Kenshin? He wouldn't be able to take care of himself, simply because he didn't care about himself.

_Well, I'll just have to do it for him_, she thought, making a commitment to the older red-head without even realizing what she was thinking.

There was awkward silence for the next few hours that was only interrupted by Kenji's disjointed singing and excited exclamations at any new sight. Kaoru would raptly pay attention to his any whim, glad that she was wanted by one of them at the least. Kenshin sat in silence, lost in thoughts that could not be read by the vague expression on his face.

After weaving through traffic and finally making it out of town, it was almost eleven. Another hour of driving and Kenji started to get bored and letting the car know it.

"We're almost there Kenji; it won't be another thirty minutes."

"Ok," he sighed sulkily, feeling cranky, "but I have to pee."

Kenshin sighed at Kaoru's giggles. "The bathroom, Kenji, you have to go to the bathroom."

"Yeah, I have to go bathroom."

"Close enough."

"Me too." Kaoru piped up. "And I'm kinda thirsty."

Feeling very much like he had two children instead of just one, he found a gas station to stop at and pulled over. _The car needs filled up anyway. Besides, we wouldn't have much fun if there was an accident in the car._

While Kenshin filled up the gas tank, Kaoru took Kenji into the store to the restroom.

"Will you be ok by yourself, Kenji?"

"Yeah, but," he fidgeted a little, hopping from foot to foot, "will you stay close?"

"Of course, sweetie, I'll be right here if you need me." Kaoru smiled at him reassuringly before he disappeared behind the door.

Kenshin came into the store, looking around for the bathrooms and the pair that had preceded him. Seeing them just walking away to the doors of the coolers, he walked up to the counter to wait.

"That's a cute little boy you have mister."

Kenshin turned to the clerk behind the counter. She was probably a teenager by the looks of her, what with the bright pink hair and piercings lining one ear. Kenshin smiled and thanked her politely.

"Your wife is probably the sweetest mother I've ever seen in awhile with a child that energetic. Usually their screaming at them by now."

"Oh, she's not my wife." Kenshin corrected hurriedly, wanting the girl to keep that suspicion to herself incase Kaoru heard her.

The girl simply raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, the boy's definitely attached to his mother then."

"But… she's only a friend." Kenshin sputtered out, horror filling him at the implication her words spoke of.

"Whatever." The girl blew him off, deciding the boys across the room were more interesting than arguing with him.

Curiosity now planted firmly in his mind, Kenshin found himself wondering if they truly looked like a family in everyone else's eyes. Turning to look at Kaoru patiently helping Kenji decide on a drink he caught her brush back his hair affectionately. Something he realized she did a lot. Kenji's silky, red hair was always falling into his eyes, but still he would refuse to let him cut it for him. Another thing he could relate to since his own hair was already way past the middle of his back. It probably had a lot to do with how nice it felt to have someone run their fingers through it. _Or maybe it's because I'm lazy, _he mused, _since that hasn't happened for me in a long time… Not since my own mother I think._ Tomoe never did really like his long hair. It was probably the only thing he had that he'd refused to let her change.

A laugh rang out from the corner where the group of boys were, pulling him out of his thoughts. Diverting his attention to them momentarily he found their eyes trained to the focus of his recent musings. Joking and shoving each other, they seemed to be trying to dare one of them to go over and talk to her, or at least that was what he hoped they wanted to do. If it was anything worse he would probably end up breaking a few fingers. At the least…

When one of them finally shoved away from the others he decided to save them the agony. Striding quickly across the store he cut the guy off smoothly, without making it look as desperate as he felt. Stopping beside Kaoru he absently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned forward to look at the selection of drinks.

"Have you two found something you wanted yet?" Kenshin asked, smiling brightly at Kaoru's confused expression after picking out an iced tea of his own.

"I want that one Daddy." Kenji pointed to a juice too high up for him to reach. Seeing as Kenshin wasn't going to let go of her to get it for him, Kaoru grabbed the drink. Quickly handing it to the boy she reached out for an iced tea for herself then turned to walk to the counter. Kenshin obligingly walked with her, arm still firmly placed on her shoulders. Kaoru, feeling a little puzzled and maybe uncomfortable about the tight smile he wore, looked at his hand pointedly then back to his face, arching one eyebrow in question. Once again he merely smiled, so she turned away to Kenji who slipped his own hand into her free one, clearly happy about the whole situation and the closeness that they were all enjoying. Kenshin took this opportunity to slide a glare at the boy over his shoulder. Surprised at the amber tinge to the amethyst eyes, the boy backed away in a hurry, stumbling slightly into the aisle of candy.

Kenshin paid, ignoring Kaoru's small protest that she could get her own drink, before smiling wryly at the clerk's knowing smirk and walking out, one last glare of warning going to the boys watching warily from the corner. In the car Kaoru finally spoke up, but he had know it was unavoidable.

"What was that all about?" Thankfully she sounded more perplexed than angry. _Probably not for long_, he thought wryly.

"Just saving someone a trip to the hospital," he mumbled under his breath, then smiled disarmingly.

If anything her face looked even more confused. "Saving who? From what?"

"It doesn't matter. What would you like to listen to?" Kenshin reached forward to mess with the radio.

"Oh no, I will not let you get away with changing the subject this time." Kaoru crossed her arms stubbornly.

Kenshin sighed, not really wanting to tell. "The boys in the store."

"What about them?" Kaoru was even more confused now.

"I didn't know what they were doing, but it definitely had something to do with you. So I saved everyone the trouble of finding out."

Kaoru's eyebrows knitted together. "But you said you were saving someone from the hospital. Do you think that they meant to harm me… or Kenji?"

"I don't know, but that's not what I meant." Kenshin immediately bit his tongue, knowing afterwards that he probably shouldn't have said that. _She doesn't need to know that I was ready to start breaking bones just at the thought of one of them touching her. Something like would be natural with Kenji but her… It might scare her away._

"So… what? You were talking about them in the hospital?"

"Yes," he answered reluctantly.

"Well, I don't know if I would have beaten them that bad, but thanks for the compliment."

Kenshin coughed, choking on the tea he was sipping from when he realized she had mistaken him. Grinning nervously at her concerned face, he inwardly sighed. _Good, she thought I was talking about her beating the crap out of them. At least I don't have to worry about scaring her off now._

The last stretch passed in a flash. Kaoru seemed drastically more cheerful after her misinterpretation of his words, what with her singing happily along with almost every song that came on the radio. Kenji's young voice usually accompanied her, but he didn't know all of the songs like Kaoru, making her voice the more prominent in the car. Kenshin continued to drive in silence, a cheerful grin in place as he basked in the sound of her sweet tone. _Something else to add to my growing list of beautiful things about her. _Admittedly he was hoping to have that list grow considerably within the next few hours, the childish glee that she had shown at the mention of going to the beach was enough to show him that maybe today would be a chance to get closer, for all three of them.


	3. Reintroduction

Disclaimer: … I don't know what you're talking about… lol.

**Chapter 3: Reintroduction**

Kaoru stood inside the bathroom, slowly removing the rest of her clothes and wondering what had prompted her to walk all the way up the beach just to do that in the first place. It wasn't like she had to get naked to change into her swim suit, so there was nothing for her to feel embarrassed about. When she was younger, she had immediately stripped on the beach and ran laughing and shrieking into the softly swaying motion of the ocean water. Of course, that had been with her father and Misao in tow… this was with a very attractive older man who she was possibly crushing rather hard over.

Besides, she was really starting to doubt her intentions over wearing the bikini in the first place. It wasn't exactly the most appropriate thing to be wearing in front of the man's son. Like Kenji would care anyway, she knew, but still… she was supposed to be here for Kenji and Kenji alone. Not trying to use him as an excuse to get closer to the older of the pair. Feeling slightly ashamed of herself, Kaoru sighed while removing the rest of her clothes, folding them neatly and placing them in her bag.

Taking out the wrap that she had bought in defiance of Misao, thankful that she had brought it at all, she deftly tied it around her waist before shouldering her bag and walking out into the bright sunshine. _Well, he was right about one thing, it is way too hot to be playing in the park or walking around the zoo looking at lazy animals._ Running a hand up her arm she winced at the slight sheen of sweat she was already showing, the heat soaking through her pores and making her feel slightly dirty with its intensity. Squinting against the refection off the water, Kaoru leveled her gaze around the only slightly crowded beach (thankful that Kenshin had found a spot that was less frequented by tourists) looking for the telling shock of red hair that would inform her of their location. When she finally did spot them it was only to find another woman standing next to the two, her own dark hair spilling around her slim body and her hands moving animatedly as she talked. Feeling a sudden surge of anger and jealousy run through her veins, Kaoru quickened her pace to hopefully intervene and run the tramp off.

Only a few feet from the trio, her anger increased at finding Kenji hiding behind Kenshin's leg, his obvious wariness showing in the timid action. Stopping when Kenshin turned slightly bewildered violet eyes to her, she didn't know what to make of his discomfort at the other woman's actions. Not knowing whether to laugh at the look or beat the woman into the ground for making both of her red-heads uneasy, Kaoru turned to the slightly smaller woman, only to be met with the mischievous aquamarine eyes of her best friend.

"Kaoru! There you are. This idiot doesn't believe that I know you. Can you believe that?!"

Misao placed both of her hands on her bikini clad hips and turned a glare on the man standing helplessly beside her. Kaoru did laugh this time, finally realizing what was going on. Misao hardly let anyone get a word in edge wise, let alone whether or not the older man believed her or not. Kenji's reaction wasn't uncalled for either, as the animation of this small woman usually had people looking rather uncertain.

"Well, maybe you just didn't let him talk between your rants, Misao-love. You know you jump to conclusions too fast when people don't talk back." Kaoru laughingly chided the girl, watching the look of dawning comprehension wash over her face and then the repentant look that followed.

"Uh, right… Sorry 'bout that." She grinned sheepishly at the two guys, biting her lip in contriteness.

"What are you doing here anyway, and what prompted you to attack the poor guys?"

"Well, I'm on a date." Misao's face took on a look of triumph, her eyes lighting insanely and her hands lacing together to ball under her chin. "I've been trying to get this guy to take me out for the past week or two and he finally relented the other night. It was a miracle that I got him to the beach actually, but after dinner last night he admitted that he liked spending time with me so I asked him if he wanted to do something today. I so surprised him by dragging him here. Of course he had to buy a pair of swimming trunks since he wasn't really prepared, but it was well worth it because I just know that we are going to have the best of fun. He's changing right now in the bathrooms up the beach, and since I was already ready I just went ahead and stripped out here and that was when I noticed him." Misao took a moment to point at Kenshin. "I recognized him from the restaurant and knew that this was the Himura that you have been talking about, especially when I noticed the cute little boy helping him. So I decided to come over and talk to him and ask about you, since you haven't been answering your phone on the weekends I figured you would be here. And here you are… we're going to have so much fun now that there is five of us instead of just the two of us on our own." Misao giggled and clapped her hands like a little girl getting a lollipop, happily content with the extra piece of gum that she found in the middle.

Kaoru looked over at Kenshin and laughed at the stupefied expression on his face. There really was no other way for someone who didn't know Misao to take her never ending flow of energy. She was going to be especially energetic now that she had let them know her delight in getting her way with someone that had caught her eye. No dout she would be a little ball of hellfire for the rest of the day. Kaoru seriously hoped that this guy she was with was going to be able to handle her.

"So, who is this guy and why haven't I heard about him?" Kaoru dropped her bag next to the large blanket that was laid out for the three of them, bending over to dig out the bottle of sunscreen that she had packed so she wouldn't come away from the day with a horrible sunburn. Bent as she was, she missed the interaction of the other two adults standing next to her, the lingering glance Kenshin gave to her half dressed form and the knowing look that Misao darted at him when he finally looked away as she stood up. Kenshin blushed slightly at being caught and Misao bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Catching the look on Misao's face, Kaoru creased her brow questioningly, but the girl waved it off.

"Oh, his name's Shinomori Aoshi," Briefly Kaoru looked over at Kenshin when he choked and covered his mouth with his hand, the blatant shock and amusement in his eyes confusing her. "And he's the nicest guy. Always so polite and listens to everything that I have to say. He never interrupts and genuinely likes to hear about my day, even if it does suck." Misao was beaming and her eyes took on a glassy quality, dreamily reminiscing about things only she knew.

"Well, he sounds really nice. Maybe you'll keep a hold of this one a little longer than the last then?" Kaoru teasingly poked fun at the girl, watching the blush stain her cheeks at her reference to her hasty exploits with every other guy she had been with, none of them measuring up to her standards like she wanted.

Misao suddenly caught Kaoru off guard by laughing and jumping at her to hug herself to her tightly, her high pitched shriek echoing in her ears. "Are you kidding?! I'm keeping this one! There's no way I'm letting him get away now that I have him!"

Kaoru looked slightly shocked at this declaration, the commitment the girl was already showing something that had never happened before with any of the other guys she dated.

"Well, he sounds really important to you Mi-love, maybe I could meet him?"

"Ya mean it!" Misao looked at Kaoru with a fierce joy glowing in her eyes. Kaoru never wanted to meet any of her boyfriends, and with Kaoru being her best friend and a sort of older sister/mother figure, since she didn't have any family of her own, it meant a lot to her.

"Of course I do."

Misao shrieked again, causing Kenshin to wince and Kenji to whimper slightly and hide himself further behind his father's leg. A leg that Kaoru just realized was actually bare to the sun since he was wearing his swimming trunks. _Too bad he's still wearing his shirt._ Inwardly pouting as she looked him over she caught his eye briefly but quickly looked away.

Then the younger woman was looking over her shoulder and detaching herself from her friend to run over to the guy who was the current focus of their conversation. Attaching herself to him instead, she drug him back over to them.

"Aoshi-sama, come meet my best friend and her date!"

Kenshin watched Kaoru shake her head slightly, her mouth silently repeating the girl's name for the man, and then raising an eyebrow to him when she declared them together. Kenshin smiled sheepishly, not really reputing the wording that her friend used to describe their relationship, but then, not agreeing either. If it was a real date he would have her all to himself. _Would I be able to handle having her all to myself?_ Another part of his mind readied him for the confrontation that was about to occur, suddenly realizing that this was the end to his nice charade around who he really was with the entrance of this stoic man.

Aoshi walked up to the trio standing on the beach, the two red-heads already known to him, but the woman who stood with them someone he couldn't name. He had a feeling he was about to find out though, what with the enthusiasm that the small woman clinging to his arm was showing about introducing him to her and her so called date. The thought almost made him smirk. _Himura-san has a date?_

"Aoshi-sama this is Kamiya Kaoru, she's been my friend since back in elementary school." Misao beamed happily at her and Kaoru bowed politely, watching the ice blue eyes of the man in front of her take her in in a glance before returning the bow and then looking over to the man behind her. Kaoru watched Misao open her mouth again to introduce the men, but was stopped by the cool voice of her date.

"Himura-san, I did not expect to see you today."

Kenshin cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable, before nodding and returning the sentiment.

"You two know each other?" Misao looked more excited than surprised, her optimism over everything showing through at that moment.

"We work together." Kenshin spoke up hastily, hoping that it would clear up their acquaintance and move the conversation on to other, safer topics.

"You work with Aoshi-sama?" Misao did look surprised this time, her eyes curiously glancing between the two, peaking Kaoru's own curiosity when Kenshin nodded but Aoshi's brow creased. The taller man seemed puzzled and a bit suspicious.

"I think it would be more accurate to say that I work **for** Himura-san. He does own the company, after all."

"Wait…" Misao turned wide eyes on Kenshin, understanding finally hitting her as to who he was. "_You're _**the** Himura?! Like, the owner and operator of Himura Technologies?!"

Kenshin smiled slightly and scratched his head, watching the crease form on Kaoru's brow with a small amount of trepidation. "Um… yes," he responded quietly, his eyes taking in the reactions around him. Aoshi only unwound himself enough to let his eyes narrow minimally, confused as to why his boss was suddenly half-fearful in front of these two women when he was nothing but ruthless at work, while Misao stared at him in outraged shock, her mouth hanging open.

"But… you're like the richest man in Japan!"

"… Only one of…"

"Wow… what are you doing out here mingling with normal people? You could like, buy out the whole beach and have it to yourself…"

Kenshin's stomach plummeted; his thoughts turning to a time and a woman who would have made him do just that. He had hated every minute of it, and though he had enjoyed her company, at the time, it had seemed somewhat cold and distant to kick everyone else out just so they could occupy one ten foot area on the beach. Looking back now, he should have seen that as a sign of her greedy nature, and not the excuse she had given for just wanting him all to herself. Watching Kenshin's face darken, his eyes becoming distant, Kaoru turned on Misao disapprovingly. Whatever way she felt about who he was, it did not sit well with her that her friend was making him uncomfortable.

"Well, maybe because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself like that. Maybe he likes mingling with 'normal' people." Misao turned her wide eyes to Kaoru, Aoshi following suit with an assessing look. "Jeez Misao, just because he has money doesn't mean that he isn't normal too. Or did you think he was going to start spouting blue blood just because his business is successful?" Huffing out a breath of frustration, Kaoru moved to sit on the blanket, opening her arms to the little boy when he detached himself from Kenshin's leg and attached himself to her instead. Cuddling the boy in her lap, she kissed him softly on the forehead before looking briefly back up at the other adults. "Come on. I thought we were supposed to be having fun."

Kenshin snapped out of his thoughts to watch his unexpected defender scold the smaller girl for her words. With the sun hitting her hair and highlighting her blue tints and softly outlining her pure skin, she looked like an angel… one that seemed to care nothing for the fact that he had more money than he knew what to do with. One that seemed more than content to stick around whether he had money or not. A woman that he was falling for more and more by the minute. Following her movements and the laughter of the boy that gladly went into her waiting arms, he smiled gently at her when she glanced at him, her own small smile telling him exactly what he wanted, needed, to know. She was there because she enjoyed being with them, and nothing would change that.

Misao darted curious eyes back and forth between the pair in front of her, Kaoru's rebuke and the look of relief on Kenshin's face informing her that she had been a little hasty in her wording. She hadn't meant anything by it, money wasn't something that she was interested in, but it was obvious that it meant something to the red-headed man in front of her. Meant something in a not so good way. _Something must have happened to him in the past, a bad experience that has altered his view on people. _Catching the smiles passed between the two, she smiled her own cheerful grin and almost squealed in delight. _Apparently Kaoru passed._ Looking up at Aoshi she caught his eye, and he gave her an approving nod. Taking the hint she stepped forward quickly to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Himura-san, I didn't mean to offend you or anything… I was just surprised that's all. Will you forgive me for thinking you'd be a fat, greedy old miser who cared nothing for the rest of us simple, poor folk?" Misao looked at him with huge, innocent eyes, her sweet tone and pouting lip a contradiction to the insult that rolled off her tongue.

"Oro?"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow before turning to the man standing over her and then burst out laughing at the stunned look on his face, his amethyst eyes rather confused and she could almost image them swirling in a daze. Then Kenji started laughing because she was laughing. Misao started giggling, glad that she had passed as well, Kenshin having grinned ruefully and huffing out a small laugh at the description. Aoshi shook his head slightly, wondering briefly why his boss was letting these girls get the best of him like they were.

"Maa, maa, there's no need to apologize. Many others have made that mistake as well."

Misao beamed happily before turning and wrapping her arm through Aoshi's and dragging him down the beach toward the water, her abrupt change in attitude and direction amusing to all. Including the stoic man she led off.

"Come on Aoshi-sama, I want to go swimming."

Kenshin watched the small pull at the corners of the man's mouth with some amazement, but understanding. The right woman would do that to you; bring out emotions that were not meant for anyone else.

"Hey! Did you remember sunscreen this time!?"

Kaoru yelled after the quickly retreating form of her best friend, shaking her head and rolling her eyes when the girl just waved a hand nonchalantly in the air.

"When she comes to work as red as a tomato I'm going to just laugh and say I told you so."

"This has happened before I sense?"

Kenshin moved to sit next to her, keeping a friendly distance while studying her face when she just smiled wider.

"Yeah… she is rather spontaneous, and her actions usually come with a 'who cares about the consequences' label."

"So I've noticed."

Chewing her lip, Kaoru offered him an apologetic grimace. "I'm sorry if Misao offended you, she didn't mean anything by it I'm sure. Money is probably the last thing that she's ever worried about. She's more of a people person than that." Kaoru carefully avoided looking at him, playfully tickling the boy in her arms while talking to him.

"And you?"

Kaoru looked over at his closed expression, curiously tilting her head to the side and considering him.

"If money meant something to me I would be charging my students twice what I am now and kicking out the ones that I don't charge at all."

Shocked surprise registered finally on his face, showing his amazement that she was so giving with her knowledge.

"You have students you don't charge?"

"Yep" Kaoru smiled cheerfully at him, cuddling Kenji to her when he tired of dodging her hands. "A couple of my students have parents that don't like them learning from a woman, but they were still very much interested in learning. How could I turn them down when I've known the feeling and would never deny someone from learning what I could teach? Especially to eager hearts such as theirs. One," A rueful twist pulled at her lips. "he just can't afford it. His mother died when he was really young and it's just his father now, working two jobs just to keep him in school. He lives in one of the rougher parts of town," A passing thought darkened her eyes, showing an anger that he hadn't known she could possess. "and I found him almost half-dead in the gutter on my way home one night. He begged me not to call his father, because he didn't want to add any more stress to him, so I allowed him to stay with me for a few nights. I called his dad and told him that he was staying with a friend of course, claiming to be some unknown boy's mother. I paid for the hospital bill and made sure that he got his homework from school for a few days. Somewhere along the line he ended up catching me practicing and then begged me to teach him, so he could be stronger." She looked at him and grinned mischievously. "I refused of course."

"But…didn't you…?"

Kaoru shook her head in amusement. "I teach a technique bent on protecting life, not taking it away. How could I consent to teach it to a boy who only wanted to be stronger for his own personal reasons?"

Kenshin took this all in with a blatant surge of awe. He'd had no idea that her technique was focused around such a notion. The very thought made him smile and he found the wonderful woman next to him to be all the more appealing.

"So?"

"Well, he had to learn first… I don't know why it meant so much to me that he would use it properly, as there are many of my students I can truthfully say I don't know what they get out of it, but… it's different with him." Shyly Kaoru smiled at him, remembering a time before. "I think it's because he reminds me of myself at that age. Wanting to be stronger so I could help my own father, wanting to be able to take some of the burden he carried away from him. Since my mother died at such an early stage in my life, I can't remember much about her, and she was never there to help raise me or share the stress of life with my father." A sad tinge entered her blue eyes, her pupils distant and unfocused. In her arms Kenji stirred to look at her, a wonder filling his mind that this woman was like him… motherless. "My father endured so much just to make sure I had everything I could ever want, but… all I really wanted was for him to be happy."

"How did he die?"

"Cancer… it was terminal before they even found it… he didn't have a chance." Kaoru felt the familiar press of tears on the back of her eyes and the clenching of her throat around the sob that wished to be free. Clearing her throat quietly she looked down at the boy in her arms with a smile, his worried tug on her hair catching her attention.

"Kaoru… your daddy died?" The boy pieced together the words in his head, coming up with a notion that frightened him.

"Yes, little one. Four years ago."

"And… and you don't have a mommy?"

"No… she's gone too."

Blue-violet eyes darted back and forth between the two adults, his young mind contemplating a life without the loving adoration of either of them. Of being fatherless as well as motherless.

"You won't leave me too, will you Daddy?" Fearfully his eyes locked with the amethyst of the older red-head, his lip trembling with the effort to not cry at the thought. Shocked at the emotion his son was showing, feeling a deep sense of love that his son would find living without him so horrible, Kenshin leaned forward and rubbed a hand over his head affectionately.

"Of course not, Kenji. I'll always be here for you."

The young gaze turned again to the woman he was snuggled against.

"You won't leave me either will you?"

"I'll stay as long as you want me to, Kenji-love, as long as you want." Placing her own head on top of his, Kaoru cuddled him closer, smiling at the way he wrapped small arms around her stomach.

"Forever?"

Kenshin watched Kaoru's expression go blank, her eyes closing off for the first time since he'd met her and showing no emotion like they always would. Then her eyes darted to him before landing on the pleading ones of the child. Smiling softy she nodded her head, running slender fingers through his baby fine hair.

"As long as you want," she repeated. "Now… how about we get some sunscreen on you and go swimming?"

Happily Kenji nodded, content with the knowledge that his Kaoru was going to stay with him. She said she was going to be with him forever and he would take her word for it.


	4. Hot and Cold

Because I had a request for ages and couldn't find a way to fit it into the story without making it look like they were taking a toll. So I have posted them like this for your viewing pleasure. Please enjoy the chapter.

Kenshin: 32

Kaoru: 21

Kenji: 4

Misao: 20

Aoshi: 30

Disclaimer: …what? -whistles nonchalantly-

**Chapter 4: Hot and Cold**

Laughingly Kenji splashed water at the ducking form of the small, dark-headed woman, her own laughter ringing out over the short distance between them and making him happy. Since she was happy, he was happy, because that meant that she liked him; that she was content to be around him. Already she had told him that she was going to stay as long as he wanted, and since he wanted her forever, she was going to stay forever. Hopefully that meant she was his mommy. Because didn't mommies stick around for forever?

Contemplatively he stopped, his teeth pulling thoughtfully, and childishly, at his bottom lip, his brows screwing together. The list he had for what a mommy was had been burned into his mind, and so far Kaoru had fulfilled almost every one of them. The ones that she hadn't fulfilled would require her to stay at his house. She already cuddled him and kissed him enough, which he enjoyed immensely, and she played with him every chance she got, but there was no chance for her to sing him to sleep and do the homey things that his father usually did for him. For that he would have to get her to stay the night. Surely his dad wouldn't mind…

No, he wouldn't, Kenji was sure, because he had told him before that he would never deny him the love of a mother… and if Kaoru was his mother, then he would let her stay. Besides, mommies were supposed to live with you too. Settling the matter in his mind, he looked up just in time to see another splash of water fall on his head. Confused for a second, he stared at the quickly darkening face of the woman, her concern growing at his lack of response.

"Are you ok, Kenji?" Wadding hurriedly over to him, Kaoru placed a hand on his head, her sapphire eyes boring into his own in search of some sign of pain or hurt.

"Yep." Smiling happily up at her, the love and worry she showed towards him another balm to his heart, he let that love he felt too shine through to her. "I just thinking."

Relieved, Kaoru tucked a wet strand of his hair out his face before picking him up and slinging him up on her shoulders, his feet dangling on either side of her head. "'Bout what, little man?" Hauling him back up to the beach where Kenshin sat talking quietly to Aoshi while Misao took a short bathroom break, she questioned him nonchalantly, never expecting the answer he would give her.

"… Are you a mommy, Kaoru?"

"N-nani? Where did you get that idea?" Freezing in place, she turned her head to stare at the small red-head in confusion.

"You act like a mommy."

"No, Kenji, I'm not a mommy." The words were whispered quietly, the breeze picking them up and drifting them to his ears.

The boy was silent for a long moment, his heart saddened by this revelation. Then in sudden insight he remembered that she couldn't be one yet anyway, she hadn't fulfilled the requirements.

"Do you think you will be someday?" There was so much hope in that statement, his little heart aching for the love she could give him as a mother… his mother.

Azure eyes darted back up to the beach, lingering on another head of red hair before glancing out over the expanse of the ocean water.

"Maybe someday, little one."

"… Do you want to be one?" Tentatively he pushed, her words not quite sounding right… they not quite what he wanted to hear.

"Yes, I would like that very much." Teasing eyes turned to him, catching the happy glow in his own blue-violet and playing off of it. "Do you think I would make a good mommy or a bad one?"

Laughing, he patted her on the head with his small hands. "You good mommy."

Giggling at his laughter, she tickled his bare feet, not minding the way he squirmed on her shoulders or pulled on her now wet hair. "Well, thank you." Inside, his words warmed her heart, loving the fact that this little boy would consider her to be a good mother… and from a child, it mattered more than any adult telling her she would be. Briefly she entertained the notion of being his mother, having the privilege to tuck him in at nights and hold him while he cried; to send him off to school for the first time and kiss his cheek in reassurance that he would be fine. But that could not be, he already had a mother… she couldn't take her place… maybe he would let her be something close though. Maybe someday.

x

Kenshin listened half-heartedly to the words of the man beside him, the short sentences passing between them finding neither to be focused on their conversation. Both seemed to be much more interested in another sort of subject, that of the feminine kind. All too soon they fell silent, Kenshin staring out over the water at the two figures playfully frolicking in the ankle deep liquid, while Aoshi fished out his smart phone and his work tablet, his thoughts all his own.

Kaoru's reaction to his personage hadn't been exactly what he had been expecting, and some part of him was actually disappointed. That part wanted her to be in awe and focus those unwavering blue depths at him with wonder and curiosity. He wanted her attention, and since he didn't necessarily get it with the revealing of his identity, he somehow felt slightly bitter. What did it take to capture this woman's interest? What did he have to do to guarantee her notice of him and only him? Yes he was glad that she cared nothing for the dollar signs attached to his name, ecstatic that she had yelled at the younger woman for stereotyping him, but… for God's sack he didn't even know if she cared for him at all. Just because she shrugged off his money like it weighed nothing did not mean she wouldn't do the same with him. It only worked to prove this theory with the thought of her immediate response after she had finished her rebuke… she had sat down and cuddled the boy in her lap, all her attention and loving devotion for him. Wait… was he really jealous of his son? How low was that?

Shaking his head minimally, banishing his last thought with the excuse of the heat, he still could not seem to shake the frustration. There was something wrong with a person that could ignore him… and it was not helping his ego any. Especially since it was being done in front of one of his more trusted and respected employees. A man he considered friend… and one whom noticed too much. This man next to him would have already seen the desire he had for the woman, his eyes trained to pick up the not so obvious. It irked him that the man knew as well as saw the less than reciprocal show of affection he was receiving in return. Incensed him because he always got what he wanted at work, his attitude and demeanor allowing for no arguments to be made. He was fair, and he listened to suggestions, but when a decision was made, his mind made up, there was nothing and no one that would stand in his way of getting it done. Now, in the face of a woman, a mere woman, he was like a dog on a leash, begging for a treat and the affection from its master.

A frustrated growl worked free of his throat before he could stop it, the ice blue eyes next to him glancing briefly over, an eyebrow uncharacteristically arched at his behavior.

"Is something bothering you, Himura-san?" Aoshi was no longer looking at him, and the tone of his voice betrayed no emotion, but he was obviously amused, the slight change in octave relayed this fact to the red-head.

"Nothing that concerns you." His voice was no longer passive and polite, but gravely and deep; short, clipped words that spoke of no room for disagreement. It was a voice that Aoshi was used to hearing.

Another glance brought it into perspective for the taller male, the slightly amber eyes boring into the figure of the woman directly fifty feet in front of them, the boy now seated on her shoulders.

"No," he agreed, "but they will wonder at that look."

His boss spared him a glance of his own this time, the irises flashing briefly in the sun before the tilt of his head hid them behind his ragged bangs. Through the curtain he watched, an ancient, predatory feeling of the hunt bearing down on him, as the woman cut gracefully through the constant motion of the sea, her now faintly tan legs bunching and uncoiling with every step. Strong shoulders and arms carried the boy, effortlessly bearing his weight on her straight back. Lingeringly he followed the trail of water dripping off her thick hair, its mass of silk clinging to her body and leading him to places that he wished he had a right to explore. Teasingly her fingers rose to pull a strand from her lips, the tickling brush it caused only imagined in his mind and darkening his thoughts further. By the time she reached him, her body soaked and her dark bikini barely covering her most intimate areas, he was struggling to keep himself calm.

A more rational part of him was confused as to the spring of these suddenly heated fantasies, his intentions towards her never anything more than pure before, with a slight hint of curiosity. Maybe it was the dissatisfaction he felt, the restlessness that had awakened at her lack of response. Perhaps it was merely the absence of any intimate human contact for nearly five years. Whatever it was, he needed to cool down. Before he scared not only the woman but his son as well.

The two were still laughing when they stopped at the edge of the blanket, water dripping off the both of them, the boy's tiny fists curled in her hair for leverage. Smiling blue eyes finally focused on him, her breath still huffing from her lungs in amusement, which quickly turned to confusion when they landed on the tense form of the older red-head.

"… Is something wrong, Himura-san?" Softly Kaoru questioned him, worried about this shift in behavior compared to the open and relaxed atmosphere she had left behind only twenty minutes before when Misao had begged her to come play.

"No." The single word was low; curt in its tone and biting to the woman's sensitive ears and heart. There was something in his voice that she had never heard before, a coldness that scared her. Scared her because it felt like her chest was being torn apart. She didn't know why it hurt so much, only knew that she did not like this sudden withdraw. The closeness they had shared for the past month warmed her, made her hope for more. Now with its absence, she could not help the tremble of her spine, especially when he abruptly rose from his position and stalked past her to the rolling ocean.

Aoshi watched the distress form in her sapphire eyes as they followed his retreating form; watched the way her shoulders slumped minimally in defeat. The slender fingers that wrapped around the boy's ankles trembled under his scrutiny and her brows worked together, confusion coursing through her along with the pain. His boss was an idiot to not notice the affection she had for the both of them… and an even bigger one to allow his anger to rule him like it was and hurt her with it.

The woman still stood looking out at him when Misao came back, her bouncy attitude slightly off in the gloomy ambiance that was left in Himura's wake. Slowly Misao brought her back to the present, her own worry over her blue eyed friend catching on the woman's brain and raising a feeling of motherly devotion; to not let her own despair affect those she loved. Carefully placing Kenji on the sand at their feet, she picked up his towel before drying him off, gently rubbing the fluffy material over him.

"What's Himura-san doing?" Misao looked out over the water, her nose scrunched up and her eyes narrowed to try and pick out the telling red of his hair.

Aoshi glanced over before replying nonchalantly, Misao unbothered by the absence of emotion in his voice. "Swimming, Misao-san."

"Well duh." Misao rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at the sitting form of her date. "I wanted to know why he's all by himself."

"Maybe he just needed a way to cool off for a moment. It is hot out here."

Kaoru glanced over with something like hope in her eyes, wanting to believe his half-lie and fool herself into thinking that he was just irritable with the heat and not with her. Aoshi caught the look and almost sighed, he had only known this woman for a few hours or so and he was already starting to understand why Himura liked her. More because he was beginning to realize that he was attracted to Misao for reasons along the same line, but that was beside the point. The point being that it didn't bode well with him that Himura was setting both him and her up for getting hurt if he didn't explain his feelings soon.

"Well, he shouldn't be out there alone. Why don't you go out there and keep him company or something."

"I'm just fine where I'm at." Aoshi divided his attention between his tablet and his smart phone, his fingers rapidly typing on both screens, his attention turning to work after Misao had left him to play with Kenji and Kaoru. Above, a large umbrella half covered him from most of the sun's heat, the two blankets supplied by Misao and Kenshin having been shoved together to meld their parties to each other for the day.

Misao grumbled loudly, earning a glance from the unmoving man and a small sigh of his own. "He'll be fine by himself."

Kaoru watched the exchange with some interest, wondering at the attraction that Misao had for this guy when he seemed to be the exact opposite to her. But then again, stranger things had happened. "Come on, Misao-chan… I thought you would be happy that your date would want to stay here with you and not chase after his boss into the ocean."

Misao's expression turned thoughtful, a tiny blush stealing over her cheeks when she realized that she did in fact like this. Aoshi noticed but said nothing, quietly amused at the fascination the girl had for him, an old man compared to her. He frowned minimally at the thought… then tossed it abruptly aside. It didn't seem to be bothering her any, so why should it worry him. A small voice in his head argued the point, however, uncovering little facts about how since she was so young she had so much going for her in life. What was she… twenty?

"Aoshi-sama? What are you thinking about?" Chilled blue looked up into playful aquamarine, her eyes inquiring and expectant, another emotion he had never seen before accompanying her natural curiosity. Though he couldn't seem to name it, he liked the warmth it created and decided suddenly that he didn't care what difference their age was, he wanted her for himself. If only for the recreation of that feeling inside of him every time she looked him in the eyes.

Smiling uncharacteristically, really only bending the corners of his lips into an almost nonexistent curve, he shook his head, asking her not to worry without words. In return she graced him with a type of smile that she never showed often, her quiet grin that meant more than any of her others put together. Drawn to him, she walked over and sat down; delighting in the way his arm laced around her waist and held him to her.

Kaoru watched in fascination as a conversation seemed to occur right under her nose, even though nothing was really said. Misao's question had been unnecessary, and really only a way for the woman to get his attention. Now they sat together on the blanket, still silently communicating, and Kaoru felt a surge of envy rush through her. Looking down at the now dry boy standing at her feet, she tucked a strand of his hair away from his face, and found him staring at the couple as well. Then he was looking up at her, a look of contemplation on his face. Curious as to what a four year old would be thinking of a couple, she bent down until she was level with him.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Intent indigo eyes looked up at her, his mouth pouted slightly as he chose his words carefully. "Is Misao-san a mommy?"

Kaoru couldn't help but burst out laughing, ignoring the looks from the other two adults as they glanced over, the boy's words not reaching their ears, thankfully.

"No sweetie, she's not. What gave you that idea?"

"Don't only mommies and daddies hug like that?"

"No, little one, you don't have to be a mommy or a daddy to hug like that."

"So… you can be a mommy without hugging?" Curious and confused, the boy tried to work the logic out in his head, wondering at this strange turn in his list. The other boy told him that only a mommy hugged and kissed fathers, and he really had not seen anything like that between Kaoru or his dad. It was something else he would have to wait for to see if she was his mommy.

"Well… honey, you do have to be like that before you can be a mommy," she admitted slowly, not really sure how to explain something like that to someone so young and inquisitive. She just hoped he would not ask her how babies came about, since he seemed so interested in mommies all of the sudden.

Kenji once again looked over at the couple on the blanket, the pair unaware of their scrutiny as Misao leaned up to plant a small, affectionate kiss on Aoshi's cheek before snuggling into his side and sighing happily. Likewise Aoshi tightened his hold on her waist, letting her know subtly that he was aware of her and enjoyed the caress. Turning back to Kaoru, Kenji debated her words, realizing that there was more to this mommy thing than he had first thought. Now, not only would she have to stay at his house and perform tasks that only his father ever did for him, but she would have to split her attention between him and his daddy too. That meant his father would play a role in this mother thing. It seemed kind of weird to him, but he guessed if that was the way things had to be for him to have her as a mother, then he was going to wait and see.

x

Thirty minutes later Kaoru sat on the edge of the blanket, Kenji lying under the shade from the umbrella, his still form telling everyone that he was taking a much needed nap. Misao had similarly started to doze, her mouth slightly open and her breathing deep as she rested against Aoshi's shoulder. Aoshi himself was still dividing his attention between both of his mobile screens, his arm bracing her weight comfortably as he kept shooting amused yet affectionate looks at her drowsy features. And Kenshin… Kenshin had found himself a place to rest far away from them out in the water. Since the part of the beach they were occupying was bordered by a cliff, there were several lone rocks scattered off the coast. Having pulled himself up on one of these, Kenshin stood unmoving and seemingly uncaring of the time he was taking.

Worried, Kaoru glanced for the hundredth time out at his solid form, still hurting and perplexed over his behavior and now over why he was not coming back. Something was really bothering him if he could stay out there that long, and she couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't her fault. What had she done to make him so angry with her? There was nothing that she could even think of. Everything that she remembered doing since they arrived had only been friendly. Heck she had even defended him from the unknowing taunts of her best friend… shouldn't that have meant something to him?

There was still a somewhat delayed reaction, she felt, to the revealing of his identity, and some part of her blocked it off with a vengeance every time she tried to think about it. Inside she just kept telling herself to wait, don't even try to contemplate it until she was home. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts when she brought it back out, that way she wouldn't worry anybody when she decided to have a crazed fit. Because despite what she had said to Misao, she still wondered herself why he would want to spend time with her… a nobody in all rights. And… _and_ (as if you could just tack it on like it was the last thing you would think about in relation to this man)… his personality was nothing like the rumors she had heard said of him. Everyone knew that you did not talk back to this man, and she had almost threatened him the first time they met. Kaoru thought she could probably die right now, just to save her the humiliation. Why would he even put up with something like that from an insignificant waitress like her? Except for his son. Yes, that was it, he only humored her for his son's sake. Feeling her shoulders suddenly slump, she realized that the thought hurt more than it probably should. If it were true, it meant she really stood no chance of catching his attention in any other way except as a playmate for his child.

_Argh! You were not going to think about it remember!_ Making a face at herself she turned her head away from the others, hoping that Aoshi wasn't witnessing her silent battle. Everything was going wrong, and she just wanted to go home and train herself to the point of exhaustion… that always seemed to help her think clearer.

Locked in her own thoughts she almost missed the minimal drop in temperature of the now stronger breeze. Focusing on the feeling, she latched onto the fact that she liked it, and not just because it was a welcome relief to the blaring heat, but because it meant something else. Raising wondering eyes to the horizon she was met with the sight of dark clouds gathering, their ominous presence collecting around her and rearing an excitement that always took hold with the coming of a storm. Forgetting her inner turmoil, she eagerly lost herself in the beauty of the flashes of light that accompanied the black front, illuminating their twisting masses in ways that no one could possibly match on purpose.

"Maybe now would be a good time to go get Himura-san."

Kaoru whipped her head around to stare incoherently at Aoshi, his soft words not sinking in until she followed the line of his eyes to the unwavering figure of the red-head out in the water. The waves were becoming more intense around him, knocking him slightly about with their building power, but still he stood, solid as a rock against the fury of the coming storm. Standing suddenly, Kaoru rose up on her tiptoes, worried now to a point that was almost painful that he would hurt himself with such reckless actions. Hearing Aoshi stand behind her, Kaoru glanced back at him, his arms full with the sleeping form of Misao.

"Will you be able to take her?" Gently he offered, handing her not only a friend but a way out of the situation. Shaking her head free of the comatose that had inflicted it, and also in negation, Kaoru finally found her voice.

"No, you take care of them," she motioned to the boy as well. "I'll go get him."

Dropping the wrap she had donned again after playing with the boy, Kaoru stepped out toward the ocean and the idiot man that didn't have enough sense to escape the storm.

x

Kenshin stood on the small flat of rock that was separate from the cliffs by only a couple tens of meters, its expanse providing him the leverage he needed to withstand the swelling waves. Staring out at the developing storm, he wondered depressingly why nobody had come out to get him yet. For the past fifteen minutes he had watched the rising blackness on the horizon, but still there was no one. It saddened him greatly, more because he wanted her to worry and it seemed that she wasn't, than with any of the others. Kenji thought he was invincible and would probably never even think of worrying over him, and Aoshi and Misao… well… whatever they thought they would surely pass on to the woman he wanted to be concerned, so it really didn't matter. _Or perhaps they expect you to have enough sense to come back without any coaxing._

Sighing in defeat, he was about to turn back when he heard the splashing of another lifting themselves up onto his platform and wading hurriedly toward him.

"Himura-san, what do you think you're doing out here?" The voice was exasperated, apparently not very happy with him, but it was feminine and just the right octave to be the woman he wanted. Smiling in amusement as she huffed out a breath in frustration at his lack of response, he turned to her when she grabbed his arm.

Kaoru opened her mouth to yell at him again, forgetting in her irritation that he was supposed to be someone she shouldn't for fear of his sharp tongue. She really couldn't help herself, though. After being battered about in the roughing ocean, she was ready to kill the man for being stubborn and idiotic. Just as the barbed words rose up her throat and threatened to tear the red-head to shreds, they froze, catching in her esophagus and turning into a tight, painful knot. Carefully he circled each of her arms with calloused fingers and held her away from him even as his eyes pulled her in. Amber and dark, the warmth they exuded touched her, and even though her body shivered with the wind her mind buzzed incoherently as it bathed in a cushioned blanket of heat. Eyes widening in confusion, she closed her mouth to stare in question as he did nothing more than study her intently.

She was beautiful. Hair clumped and clinging to her wet skin, blue eyes large and filled with uncertainty and curiosity… he had wanted her all to himself, and now he had her. Here she stood, merely inches away from him, with nobody in range to disturb or distract, and he was suddenly at a loss as to what to do. Coming out here by himself was meant to cool him down, but he had soon realized that it didn't help matters to put distance between them, because it only served to make him want her more. But now that she was with him, what did he want? What should he do? Should he tell her what he felt? Should he release her and pretend it never happened? Nothing about her said that she was sickened by his presence, so maybe she wouldn't mind?

Letting his eyes stray from hers, he followed the sharp tilt of her nose, crinkling them in amusement when the nostrils flared briefly in a self-conscious gesture. Settling his sight on the curve of soft pink just below, he watched her lips part in surprise when he lingered overly long. Smiling slowly, he moved closer, delighting in the feel of her hands now braced against his chest, the way her fingers curled into bare flesh, her muscles tensed as if to push him away, and her eyes fluttered half closed. Gazing hungrily at his goal he caught their barest movement, the flickering of her tongue as they moistened the plush surface, and then as they stretched to try and form the beginning of a word.

"Ken…?" Abruptly she cut off, realizing suddenly what she was about to say, and it wasn't just that it was his name, but rather just his name. Without any formalities or barriers of society between them… the way she thought of him when she was alone. Tawny eyes flew back to hers and she colored brilliantly beneath their scrutiny, embarrassed about her almost slip but still cocooned in the pocket of wakening desire that he had created around them. Leaning in further, his nose caressing hers, he breathed against her lips, the sudden heat making her tremble.

"Don't stop." The command was light, but it was still a command, his tone deeper than she had ever heard from him before. It was exciting and terrifying all at once, something close to the way he had talked to her on the phone that first time. Only this time he was focused, completely and securely on her. Thoughts too muddled and her body feeling lethargic, she found she couldn't respond. She wanted only to revel in the feelings he was raising inside of her, in the closeness they were sharing and the searing heat of him almost against her. "Please, Kaoru."

His tone turned almost pleading, touched by longing, and she nearly whimpered, her brows curling in pleasant pain as an echo of his longing warmed her chest. Forgetting that he wanted anything from her but the kiss he was trying to instigate, Kaoru nodded and let her eyes fall shut, tilting her head back against the weight of his hand now curving around the base of her skull. Vaguely she felt the vibration of his chest as he chuckled lightly in amusement, her fingers pressing harder into his skin and even capturing a few stray threads of silky hair. Offhandedly she admired their thickness, the heavy, sleek weight so much different than that of the boy's. Soon the trail of that thought was lost, however, as he refocused her attention as one of his arms circled her waist, his fingers clutching tenderly, yet almost possessively at her bare skin.

Settling fully against him at the careful insistence of his hands, their lips having yet to meet, she flattened her palms again, waiting with an increasing anticipation that sent her heart thundering against her ribs. Then just as the electric feel of his tentative brush caressed her mouth, lightning cracked above them, alerting them both to the current situation and why this should not be happening now.

Bursting the bubble that surrounded them, Kaoru went with her first instinct… she jumped in surprise at the harsh sound. Unfortunately this resulted in their foreheads smacking together, the pain crossing her eyes. She tried to wince back, but instead of releasing her his arms tightened. Snapping open dark blue eyes, she gapped questioningly at him, an apology dying on her lips as the cat-like slit of his eyes captured hers and she couldn't tell if he was angry or still aroused. Uncertain, her mind coming back into focus, her heartbeat skipped erratically, their posture frozen mid-tease of a kiss, and for a moment his dark eyes seemed to devour her… before reluctantly releasing her with a shuddering sigh. Softly turning her around, body rigid and hands trembling, he nudged her back in the direction of the shore, his long bangs now covering his eyes from her view.

"We should really get back before it gets worse, Kaoru," a small pause followed, preceding the whispered breath as he finished the sentence, "-san."

Nodding in shaky agreement, Kaoru stepped forward to slide back into the still warm water, working to fight against the harsh waves as well as the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and the new ache in her heart.

_Stupid storm._


	5. Misunderstandings

Disclaimer: ... sigh.

**Chapter 5: Misunderstandings **

Kenji kicked his feet mutinously at the underside of the table, staring angrily at the food in front of him. He was mad at his father... because he did not take them to see Kaoru-san that weekend.

"You need to eat quickly before we're late." Dropping his son's bag on the floor next to the door, Kenshin walked into the room with his suit jacket thrown over one arm while he tucked his keys into his pant's pocket. Hurrying around the room he set his own dishes in the sink before returning to the table to clean up the rest of their mess.

Picking at the dish with his chopsticks, Kenji made a face, dropping his chin in his free hand and turning his glare to the figure of his father. "I don't wanna."

Sighing in exasperation, Kenshin stopped where he stood and closed his eyes in a bid for patience. The boy had been difficult all week, dragging his feet when he was asked to do something, ignoring him when he tried to talk, and argumentative and sulky when Kenshin had decided against seeing Kaoru. It was really working on him and now, two weeks after seeing her last, he was ready to pull his hair out.

"And why not, Kenji-chan?" Carefully voicing the question, already expecting the answer, Kenshin leaned against the counter in front of him for some kind of support.

"I wanna see Kaoru-san."

"Doesn't she stop by on the weekdays still?" Reminding him that he would, he reached for the cabinet in front of him, replacing all the items they had used for their breakfast.

"Yes." Sulky and low, Kenji agreed, hating that his father kept circling around the real issue.

"Then you'll see her soon, right... either today or tomorrow. So eat your food and we'll get you there quicker."

"No! I wanted to see her yesterday!"

"And I told you that I was busy with work."

"But you didn't do work! You just looked out the window all day!"

Losing the grip he held on himself, he slammed the small door shut harder than he wanted, his fist curled harshly on the wood. "Fine! I lied! I didn't want to see Kaoru yesterday! Or the day before! Or last weekend, alright?!" Frustration rolling through his mind he turned his gaze to the boy at the table. Shame was quick to replace that anger when tears slipped from Kenji's eyes.

"You're mean, Daddy." Sniffling, he jumped out of his chair, running through the open door and straight up the stairs to his room, his small feet pounding down the length of the hallway and ending in the slam of his own door.

Thunking his head back against the cabinet, he berated himself for yelling at the child. He didn't understand why they weren't seeing her. He didn't understand why his father was avoiding her. All he knew was that he was being denied weekends like they usually shared; happiness that was always given to him when they were all together. The boy couldn't know what was really going on, why he felt he needed some kind of room to think. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, feeling a headache coming on, Kenshin pushed away from the counter to follow in the small footsteps of his son and try to make amends in some way. As long as it still gave him more time away from the blue-eyed kendo instructor.

Opening the door quietly, he found Kenji lying face down on his bed, his red hair covering his features from view but not the soft breath of his tears. Sitting down next to him, he leaned back into the wall, knowing from experience that he would need to apologize first before he would be allowed to cuddle him again.

"I didn't mean to yell at you, Kenji-chan. I'm sorry I upset you."

"You don't like Kaoru-san no more." Petulant and shaky, he shot back the statement, angry now that he might be taken away from a chance to have a real mother like everyone else. If his father did not like her, then she couldn't be a real one could she? She had to live with them, share with them, and love them both before he could have her as a mom. If Dad didn't want her there, then he would once again be left with just a father.

Tilting his head back into the wall, Kenshin sighed, a hand running through his hair. "It's not that, Kenji-chan."

Hopeful and urgent, Kenji turned over, his tear streaked face directed at his father sitting next to him. "Then you do like Kaoru-san?"

Smiling sadly at the boy's suddenly bright face, he pulled him into his side, dropping his head down onto the top of his. "Of course I do... I like Kaoru-san very much. It's just... hard for your daddy to see her right now."

"Why?"

"Because..." _Now that she knows about both of my secrets there are so many things that can go wrong. What if it's like before? What if she's fake too? What if she has lied to me all along? What if she's lied to Kenji? He wasn't old enough to understand or even remember when Tomoe left, what would this do to him if she changed now? He is so very much in love with her. To lose her now would be heartbreaking. _

_Even if she is real and everything either of us has ever hoped for... what if she doesn't want me? What if she doesn't want what I have only just discovered that I want? What if she doesn't want something more? Our relationship is a tentative friendship, at best. That what almost happened even came about in the first place was too large of a step. Just because I want to, just because I want to bring our relationship further doesn't mean that she will ever want to. She is so young, just starting with her life, there is nothing that I have to offer that could be appealing to her. Not to that pure girl who cares nothing for money or possessions. Not to that young woman who laughs with her entire being. I have become so enamored by her it frightens me. What if she can't be serious about this the way that I want her to be? What if I scare her with that want? What if…?_

"Daddy?"

Looking back down into Kenji's expectant gaze he sighed again and shook his head to clear it. "Because I'm scared she doesn't like me."

"Silly Daddy... she likes you."

Chuckling at the surety in his voice, Kenshin kissed him fondly on the crown of his head. "You think so?"

"Yeah. You make her smile."

"So do you."

"Yeah, but it's different now..."

Concerned with his words and the sadness that crept into his blue-violet eyes, Kenshin tilted back his son's face so he could look directly into his gaze. "What do you mean? How is it different?"

Kenji shrugged. "It's not the same as before."

"Before what?"

"Last weekend... She's sad a lot..." Leaning his small nest of hair into the chest of his father, Kenji sighed. Kaoru had seemed distant with him lately, her mind not totally focused on what they were doing together. She did smile for him, but only after he would pull her back to Earth, demanding her attention once again before allowing her to cuddle him, like she needed some kind of reassurance. It would have made him think she no longer liked him if not for that last action, her inattentiveness hurting his heart and mind. But because of her need to cling he felt a need to be there so she could, making him angry at his father when he would deny him that ability. It was a vicious cycle that ended in the hurt of all three. She was hurt, he knew she was. It had been in her voice when she had questioned him about his father and why they had not come by the weekend before to visit.

"Is she... does she cry?" Trying to word it in a way that he might understand and still figure out what was wrong, Kenshin took in the expressions on his son's face, waiting for his response patiently.

"No. It's just different. It's wrong." Frustrated at not being able to tell him the way he saw it, Kenji repeated himself again, hoping to get it across to him... focusing on the one thing that they both would know was different about her.

"Maybe she just doesn't feel well, Kenji-chan." Reasoning, wanting to keep the child from feeling like it was his responsibility to keep her happy, he instead felt more worry at the nod of his head.

"She does cough a lot."

"Bad coughing?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Kenji suddenly looked back up with slightly wider eyes, remembering what Kaoru had said about her father and mother both dying. "You think she's sick? Will she die?"

"No." The word came out a bit frantic, so he soothed it over by hugging him closer. "No... I'm sure she's just fine Kenji-chan. Nothing to worry about." Convincing the boy easily enough, he still felt a knot of worry build in his stomach as he was not quite sure whether or not to believe his own words. Without the assurance that seeing her constantly would give him, he couldn't quite let go of his built in parental instincts to take care of and shelter.

"So... are you ready to go, or should I take you to work with me and we can both miss Kaoru-san today?" Laughing at the face he made, Kenshin stood to follow his son when he bounced out of the room, going slower with his own thoughts that were sharpened in concern.

Bundling Kenji into the car, Kenshin pulled slowly out of the drive, pointing himself in the direction it took to arrive at the day care center his son was watched at. Relaxed in his presence for the first time in a week, the issue having been worked out enough that they were both content to leave it be, he smiled as his son began singing in the back of the car, the song a tune Kaoru had taught him. The boy was really attached to her, her loving nature giving him something to look forward to during the day when Kenshin couldn't be there for him as a father. In some ways he could say he was jealous, but he could not feel any type of resentment because of it. Kaoru was someone they both enjoyed, and he knew that the type of love between that of a child and his father was different than that of a child and his mother...

Dropping his son off, a bundle of warmth spreading through his chest at the hurried words of love and farewell from the boy, Kenshin resisted the urge to stop him; to ask him to tell Kaoru "hi" for him. He would not do this the coward's way, he would not put his son in that kind of position. Besides he wanted to hear her voice and gauge her reaction. He wanted to know how it truly affected her and see if there wasn't more that needed to be said. That he needed to apologize was a given, but maybe for a different reason than he knew.

Buckling himself back into the car, he sighed, finding himself feeling lethargic, his eyes wandering over the activities of those around him; the passing cars and pedestrians on the sidewalk, the laughter of a child being brought to the center. Smiling at the carefree happiness, the sound echoed through his mind, reminding him of her laughter; the smile she gave to him under slightly nervous blue irises. A petal-like grain that shyly found his while they were playing at the park, the joyful openness quickly lowering away when they connected for a moment. At times he hadn't wondered if it was just his imagination, his heart making up the look of possibilities he would see in her gaze, gestures, and words but... every thought and hope had led up to that moment out in the ocean where he had almost overstepped his bounds and given in to the want of his heart. Even still, in the end she had not protested, she had not expressed any sign of worry, fear, disgust or disdain. There had only been curiosity, and a want to finish what he had started.

Snapping out of his reverie he dug the cell phone out of his pocket when it rang a second time, looking in confusion at the foreign number that popped up on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Himura-san?" The voice was frantic, feminine, and nobody he could seem to place.

"Yes, may I help you?"

"Thank-goodness, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get a hold of you or that you wouldn't pick up because you wouldn't know who I am and then I wouldn't know what to do because..."

"Wait a minute, calm down. Who is this?"

"Oh, I'm sorry... Misao... from the beach, remember?"

Enlightenment dawned and he blinked, a face appearing to match the voice. "Yes, I remember. What's going on?" Confused as to why she would be calling him in any kind of emergency, he switched the phone to his other hand and started the car.

"It's Kaoru... I don't know what's wrong with her. She's so pale and her skin was burning up, and she wouldn't talk to me. She kept asking for her father, which was silly. He's been dead for four years! I'm sorry but I didn't know who else to call. She doesn't have any family and no one knows where she was all weekend. Were you with her, because she didn't come to work and she didn't call or anything..."

"Misao-san... calm down." Listening to her voice quickly rise into hysterics he felt his own emotions echo the lift. Quickly trying to soothe her, he hoped it would help him get some coherent answers out of her soon. "Where is she? Are you at her house?"

"No, I called an ambulance. Oh she's going to kill me! She told me never to do that."

"It's ok, just listen to me. What hospital?"

"The big one down on main... Takani, I think."

"Are you sure? Are you in a position to ask someone?"

"Yes I'm sure! Please, Himura-san, they keep asking me all these questions and I don't know what to tell them. I haven't seen her since Friday."

"Just calm down, Misao-san. I will be there shortly."

Snapping the phone shut, Kenshin backed out of the parking lane, forcing his way in front of another vehicle before taking off down the street in a squeal of tires.

Kenshin didn't really remember parking at the hospital, only running headlong into the emergency room and questioning the first nurse he could find about Kaoru's whereabouts. It didn't take long for one of them to calm him down and point him in the direction of trauma one. By the time he reached the actual room, however, there was no activity going on, which only made his heart jump harder in fear. _Oh God, she died. She's dead, and it's my fault._ Walking slowly into the quiet room, his mind didn't reassert itself back into sanity until the quiet beep of her heart beat on the monitor penetrated the loud pounding of blood in his ears. Relaxing in relief, his attention was distracted from her peaceful cadence of breathing by the nervous bouncing of the small woman in front of him who was speaking in tongues... or at least that was what it sounded like to him.

"Misao-san, you are going to have to slow down. And please tell me what's wrong."

Taking a deep breath Misao had to consciously make herself talk slower, her hysterical energy still raging in full force and needing an outlet. "Takani-sensei says she'll be fine, that she's got something called bacterial pneumonia. Though she was a little confused as to how she could have gotten something like that at the beginning of August."

"But she is ok?" Pushing her further, his mind already locking onto the reason he was sure she was sick, he tried to reassure himself before he admitted to being at fault.

"Yeah, she's fine." Misao sighed. "I'm sorry I overreacted, Himura-san." Misao looked down at her feet sheepishly. "It's just... I was so worried and, I mean, seriously it isn't that uncommon not to hear anything from her on the weekends anymore. I just assumed that she was with you. But she usually calls work if she is ever going to miss, and I thought... that maybe you two were..." Blushing scarlet she stumbled off into silence, not wanting to admit that she had originally thought all through Saturday and Sunday that her friend was with Kenshin and that the reason she hadn't called was because she was occupied to the point of distraction.

Kenshin felt his brow furrow together in confusion, before he stuttered in embarrassment. "B-but I haven't seen her since our day at the beach, Misao-san." Quickly defending himself, his hands raised in innocence, he watched the girl frown and lift equally confused eyes to him.

"But I thought you guys always spent the weekend together?"

Before he could reply the door to the room swung open, the tall form of a lady doctor striding confidently, if not a little irritably, into the middle of their conversation.

"If you two are going to insist on being so loud, then please do it outside where you will not disturb my patient. She has gone through enough as it is."

Twin apologies poured from the mouths of the two before her, both shocked at the abrupt scolding they had received.

"Good. Now if you two would be so kind as to explain how my patient has pneumonia I would be extremely grateful."

Sighing Kenshin glanced over Kaoru's unconscious figure on the bed before bowing his head sadly. "It was my fault. We got caught in a storm a couple of weeks ago. She is no doubt sick because I was inattentive."

"Inattentive?" Sarcasm was laced around the aggravation in the doctor's voice, her arms crossing over her light green scrubs.

"Yes, ma'am. We were at the beach and everything was soaked before we made it back to the car. There was nothing dry for her to change into and I made no attempts to make sure she properly took care of herself when I dropped her off at her house."

"Ah... and who are you, sir? Her lover?"

Shaking his head at the accusation, the second such in the span of a few minutes, Kenshin denied the question. "No, we're just friends."

"I see. Do I need to have you checked?"

"No, ma'am."

Turning to the girl beside him, the doctor addressed her. "And what about you?"

"I was there, but... I feel fine." Shrugging her shoulders, Misao fiddled with the end of her tank top, biting her lip in thought.

Sighing, the woman doctor grinned wryly. "I figured as much." Pinching two fingers over the bridge of her nose, she spoke chidingly to the unconscious girl. "Kaoru-baka, you should take better care of yourself."

"You know Kaoru-san?" Joining in their astonishment, Misao and Kenshin both looked up at the doctor with stunned expressions.

"Well of course I know the little raccoon girl. She came in about, oh, a couple years ago with a little bratty teenager, claiming to be his cousin or something. It was obvious that she was lying, but she insisted on paying the bill for him and since he asked us not to tell his father we were forced to oblige." Shrugging she motioned a nurse to start moving her bed to another room, out of the trauma area. "She's too nice for her own good. Couldn't even afford her own bills and yet willing to take on another for someone she had just met." Tapping a finger to her cheek she looked the red-head up and down. "Come to think of it... you look familiar. Have we met before?"

"Uh... no."

"Ah, I know who you are now. Himura, right?" Brow furrowing once again in irritation she advanced on the poor man another time. "Friends, huh? Just what do you think you're doing with Kaoru-san? This girl is much too nice to be some rich man's toy."

Eyes wide with horror Kenshin waved his hands in front of him and backed slightly away from the imposing figure of the tall woman. "You have it all wrong. Kaoru is a good friend. We were at the beach together because my son has grown quite attached to her, that's all." The words were edged slightly with untruth and he inwardly winced. _That's not all and you know it._

"Your son?" Looking skeptically towards the other woman in the room for assurance that this wasn't a lie, Misao affirmed his statement with a hurried nod of her head.

"Kenji-chan absolutely adores Kaoru-san."

"And his mother goes along with these outings?"

Eyes darkening in a remembered anger, the shame he felt for the partial lie disappeared. Clenching his jaw tightly he tried to make himself speak civilly, but could not pull off his earlier harmlessness. "He doesn't have a mother."

"Ah..." Studying the look on his face she let the matter slide without question and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Well, if either of you have other business to attend to we have it all under control. The girl will be held under my personal supervision until she wakes, so there is nothing left to worry about."

Misao uttered a grateful goodbye, her summer classes having started for her an hour before and she didn't want to be late for her next one. Kenshin, however, stayed behind, politely refusing to leave and instead asking the doctor to explain Kaoru's situation.

Lifting an eyebrow Megumi led him into the private room that Kaoru was now sleeping in, her pale face almost pasty in comparison to the slightly sweaty film of her dark hair. "Kaoru-chan was pretty bad when she was brought in. Her lungs were inflamed and she could hardly breathe. We have her on oxygen now and antibiotic to help clear out the worst of it." Kenshin studied the nose piece they had looped around both of her ears, the noise the tank put off every time it pushed oxygen into her nostrils a soft disturbance in the room. "It's not as bad as it looks. As long as she hasn't gotten any worse by the time she wakes up we can release her to go home. The problem is getting her to take care of herself once she's there. I've prescribed some medication for her, and I would like to restrict her to bed rest but she's a stubborn one and will probably try to go back to work." Without a word or a look Megumi handed the piece of paper with Kaoru's prescription on it to him before stepping up to the side of the bed to frown down at the unconscious woman. "It would probably be best if someone called her boss to warn her against such an occurrence... at least for the week. I wish she would let me keep her here for the night, but I know that will be impossible. Her condition isn't critical but she needs to be watched and it's important that she do as little as possible."

Kenshin almost smiled at the indirect orders he had been given. Not only was she allowing him to pick up her medication, but she was basically telling him to call her workplace as well as stay with her for the night. _Not that I mind... and Kenji will enjoy seeing her again._

"Where would you recommend I pick these up at?" Holding up the paper for reference, he watched the tall doctor grin.

"The hospital pharmacy is down the hall on the right. If you get lost just ask one of the nurses to point you in the right direction." Walking away from the bed she hit the door to the hall. "I have other patients to attend to but she will be watched carefully while you are gone."

Looking down upon the still and silent girl Kenshin released his anxiety in one long breath. Now that he knew she was going to be fine he could allow himself to enjoy seeing her. Asleep she was undeniably adorable in a childlike way. Running a finger over the bangs hanging heavily in her eyes he watched her sigh in apparent contentment, a questioning for her father slipping softly from her lips. Slightly sorrowful over her need for the guidance of a loved one, he bent and hesitantly placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, whispering reassuringly like he did for Kenji when he wasn't well. "It's ok, Kaoru-chan. I'll take care you."

x

Kaoru awoke to the sound of voices and a heavy feeling in her lungs, as if something was sitting on her chest. Cracking open tired eyes she tried to make sense of the blurred colors before her. White seemed to be a dominant wash of light with only a few darker splotches impeding her view at certain intervals. Nothing would focus and she was left with only a vague outline of shapes to help her discover her predicament. When an abrupt shot of red caught her attention she was suddenly made aware that she was having a hard time breathing. Shocked by what the color meant she tried to suck in air but it burned and her lungs rejected every inch of it causing her to wheeze and cough weakly. Tears reflexively pouring from her eyes she panicked at the lack of response her attempts at breathing was met with, and her body twisted in desperation.

There was an irritated shout from someone in the room and then strong arms were holding her down, a demanding voice that she only vaguely recognized telling her to calm down and try to breathe normally. Fighting it with every inch of her life she couldn't seem to get past the horrible knowledge that if she didn't get some air into her lungs soon she was going to suffocate to death. Another familiar voice broke through her fear speaking to her anxiously and asking her to do as the doctor was saying. It's tone reminded her somehow of her father, throwing her back into training. Discipline remembered, her mind calmed and was able to force a semblance of control back over her body.

Slowing her breathing until only her heartbeat spoke of the anxiety of moments before she opened her eyes again and spoke questioningly to whoever was in the room. Reproach bit sharply back at her from a woman she now recognized as a certain fox she knew and it made her lips twitch into a tired grin. Nodding her head in agreement to whatever she was saying, she resisted trying to laugh, amused by the brutal care this woman loved to show to those she considered too nice to others to do it themselves. The other voice broke in then, asking something that confused her, and although she still couldn't quite focus her eyes, she furrowed her brow as its male tone became distinct.

"Is she ok? Was that normal? Should we be worrying? Is there something you need to give her?"

Laughter from the doctor spoke of her amusement with his anxiety as the voices faded and then muted as the door to her room shut behind them. Blinking her eyes to clear them Kaoru watched the world come into sharp focus, the window of her door serving to give view both ways. Two figures stood just outside, facing each other as they spoke, and as Kaoru studied them both she registered two different feelings that were unknown to her.

Relief was nothing new, but relief like this almost made her forget everything except the fulfilled desire of once again being within the immediate proximity of his presence. It wasn't simple relief though, it was joy and bliss and almost a nirvana of relaxation in her heart. She hadn't seen him in what felt like forever, even if it had been only two weeks. With him in front of her now, the familiar set of his shoulders and slope of his jaw available for her viewing pleasure, she wanted to skip and giggle in innocent glee.

Instant sorrow followed, her heart plummeting into her stomach as she remembered why she had not seen him in so long. The fact that he had separated himself from her so thoroughly only showed that he regretted what had happened (_almost happened)_ on the beach. If he felt that much regret then it meant he obviously did not care for her in such a way. With the way he had been acting that day it was more than likely the simple result of frustrated emotions. What had frustrated him she did not know, but it was clear that the event had been an accident. Which meant she should never have wished for his regard in such a way.

Perhaps it would have been easier to convince herself of that if she had known since the beginning about his true identity. Having only just discovered it a few hours before was not enough time to make herself see the foolishness of her desires. After the last two weeks of ignored phone calls and the cold shoulder, however, she knew now. Himura Kenshin would never fancy a woman like her. A woman who practiced kendo and could not cook could never be good enough to stand at his side. He would need someone better than a sweaty little tomboy, someone like Takani-sensei. She was the type of woman he would set his sights on, with her undeterred confidence and natural sex-appeal. _Like I could ever have something like that... I don't even understand what that means. _

Turning her head away from the vision of the two in the window she stared instead at the wall. _And now I've made it look like I'm a helpless little girl who is only pretending to be an adult. What does he think of me now I wonder? Will he even let me near Kenji again? _Lip trembling at the thought of being separated from the boy she had grown to love, she sighed despondently and then coughed weakly at the burning this caused. _I want to go home. I don't want to sit in here and worry anyone any longer than I have to. Besides… if Kenshin is here only because I am sick then that just shows me that he truthfully only sees me as a friend. If he had wanted more… we would have talked before this._

Closing her eyes as the door opened and swung back shut she kept her head turned away, hoping that whoever it was would think she had fallen back asleep and leave her alone. When no other noise followed she relaxed, thinking that her ruse had worked. Totally unprepared for soft fingers to gently comb errant strands of her hair away from her face, she jerked away in surprise.

"Sorry." Sheepish Kenshin pulled his hand away worried as her eyes snapped open and stared warily back at him. She looked uncertain and confused and just a bit distrustful of his presence. Saddened that he had hurt their relationship so thoroughly he sighed softly and backed up to sit in the chair next to her bed. "Takani-sensei says you should be able to go home in a couple of hours, maybe sooner depending on your progress." Softly making conversation, he watched her hesitate before nodding her understanding. No sound passed her lips and the look in her eyes did not change. Trying again, he scooted closer to the edge of his seat. "She recommends that you not go to work for at least the rest of the week, and you should have plenty of bed-rest." Still no response. "I, uh, picked up your prescription for you." Sapphire eyes settled on confusion, hurt and humiliation deepening the color, and a frown marred her face.

"You didn't have to do that." Low but firm the words mixed with the sterile air around them, defusing as soon as they left her mouth and forcing him to lean in to catch them. Shifting her weight she hugged herself under the blanket and finally broke eye contact. Rolling her head away from him her actions gave off the subtle notion that she did not want him to be there. "You don't have to be nice to me."

Sitting back in the chair he swallowed and looked away as well. "No. I want to be, Kaoru-san."

Biting her trembling lip _she _wanted nothing more than for him to leave her alone. He was only confusing her more and she didn't want him to be around her when she was like this; weak and helpless. Clenching her eyes and jaw shut she shivered once from the cool room, her body abruptly taking precedence over the chaos of her mind. Those quivering muscles stiffened just as quickly, however, when the covers lifted to pull back over her shoulders, his gentle hands tucking in the corners until she was securely cocooned in.

"Are you cold? Would you like me to find you another blanket?"

Frowning at his persistence she shrugged her shoulders to dislodge his touch when he wouldn't move, but he misunderstood the gesture.

"I'll be right back." There was a smile in his voice, and she couldn't help but wonder why. _I'm not encouraging him in any way, so why would he be happy. Maybe he's just laughing at me…_ Thoughts returning to depression at the notion, she sighed and balled herself further together. _Why is it always so damn cold in these hospitals?_ Grumbling irritably she made a grab at the ends of the blanket and yanked it up to her chin, burying her face into the slightly rough material. _And what's taking him so long?_ Yawning she burrowed herself into a comfortable position, cursing the way the nose piece dug into her cheek. _He hasn't even apologized yet._

x

Kaoru woke again to the business-like voice of her doctor asking questions to the nurse beside her. None of the conversation made sense to her, but whatever was passed between the two made Takani-sensei smile and nod her head in satisfaction.

"Kaoru-san, good you're awake."

Clearing her throat carefully, mindful of the way it had burned the last time she was awake, Kaoru struggled slightly to sit up, smiling weakly when the nurse adjusted the back of her bed to accommodate. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh as well as can be expected in your condition. Really, baka, you were lucky. Things could have been much worse with the way you neglect yourself. What were you thinking letting yourself get this bad?"

Kenshin walked through the door as Megumi finished her question and froze as blue eyes shot to him briefly. _Why is he still here?_

"I... I didn't really think..."

"Of course not, or you wouldn't be here, would you? You're lucky Misao-san got worried and stopped by or you'd still be lying on your living room floor, probably about to suffocate to death because your lungs are so inflamed and infected you can't breath. Is that what you wanted? Do you think you're father would have wanted that? Do you think you're friends would have wanted that?" Sighing and pursing her lips as her demands produced silent tears to threaten her patient's eyes, Megumi sat on the edge of the bed and placed a finger under her chin. "You have too many people who love and depend on you to not take care of yourself. Do you know how many phone calls from worried students my nurses have had to stave off today? As it is half of them are in the waiting room ready to escort you home and give you a proper guilt trip I imagine. Especially that tall dark headed one with the attitude. That brat insisted on coming in here to check on you himself."

"Yahiko-kun?" Wiping at her eyes she looked up in astonishment, watching a wry grin tilt the doctor's lips.

"Don't worry, I promised him a proper beating from you personally if he didn't get out of my ER." Choking on a laugh, Kaoru leaned into the embrace Megumi briefly offered. "Now don't think I've finished yet. This fine looking red-head wouldn't leave no matter how many times I assured him that you would be okay. I think I even heard something about driving you home, and I had planned on letting him if everything checks out fine."

Frowning again, Kaoru bit her lip at the information, tilting her head away when Megumi pulled back. She wasn't really sure what to make of all of the attention she was suddenly getting, and she was still confused about Kenshin's presence. _This is just great, not only does Kenshin get to see me like this but now my students are going to think less of me. Idiot!_

"Kaoru-san." Raising still wary eyes to the unwavering violet staring back at her she watched a small smile tilt his lips. "There is a young man who says he is your student waiting outside that would very much like to see you. He doesn't look very happy about not getting to come in here." Blinking she wiped hastily at her face and hair, trying to make sure there was nothing about her appearance that would make him worry. Fingers fluttering over the tube in her nose she frowned at the sight she must really make. "Would you like for him to wait?"

Shaking her head Kaoru beckoned him to show the other in; hoping the familiarity of her student's face would keep her mind off of her situation.

The door opened slowly and Kaoru watched dark eyes peek into the room. Uncertainly they darted around the interior before landing on her and frowning. "Kaoru-sensei..." Bowing slightly in respect Yahiko walked further into the space, looking the red-head up and down warily before striding over to the bed. "They wouldn't tell us what happened. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Yahiko-kun." Smiling reassuringly, her voice abruptly chipper, she waved a hand in the air dismissively. "Just a touch of flu." Shooting a warning glare to annoyed cinnamon irises, Kaoru grinned when the doctor just rolled her eyes and walked out. "Don't worry, I'll be back to beating on you in a day or two."

Tense shoulders relaxing Yahiko crossed his arms and his rigidly upright form sagged into a more comfortable pose. "Yeah, right, you know I almost had you last week."

"You think so? I was just trying to make you feel better." Poking him in the ribs she stuck her tongue out at his petulant expression. "Your stance is still so off I could take you down in a second flat. And who taught you how to swing like that anyway? It definitely wasn't me."

"Hey! I'll have you know I've been studying. I just have to practice a bit more on it. Besides, you know that was the move that almost took you down."

"Because I was so horrified by your drop in skill I didn't know what to think. Surely any student of mine would know better than to try and copy crap moves off of those movies they pass off as entertainment now-a-days."

"Oh yeah... well... your just jealous that you're not as good looking as the people on those movies."

"Only to little boys like you, Yahiko-chan."

Bewildered Kenshin watched the play-fight unfold before him, only the twinkle of merriment in both of their eyes telling him that they were actually enjoying themselves. Yahiko, frowning at being called little, finally broke out in a grin and pulled lightly on her hair.

"Ok, I believe ya. I'll tell the others they can go home if they want. Unless you'd like to see them."

"Let them see me like this? I wouldn't want to handicap them. Next thing you know they'll all be trying to baby me during practice."

"I'll get rid of 'em for ya." Laughing and waving a salute Yahiko walked back out, the worry lines that had creased his forehead for the last couple of hours gone now that he knew his sensei was fine. Nodding as he passed Kenshin he whispered a warning as he hit the door. "There's a class full of students she's trained waiting outside. None will hesitate to protect her if she's hurt."

_I think I was officially told off._ Grinning Kenshin shook his head and walked over to the chair by her bed. "You have quite a few amazing kids who look up to you. I think I'm jealous."

Smiling happily Kaoru nodded and looked cheerfully out the window in the door, proud that she had accomplished one small deed after taking over her father's dojo. "I'm very lucky."

"Are you feeling better?"

Smile faltering, his concerned questioning reminded her of why she needed to stay guarded around him now. "Yes I am."

"Good. Are you hungry or anything? Would you like me to get you something?"

Confusion doubling every time he showed care for her wellbeing, Kaoru's brow furrowed deeply. "Why are you suddenly so helpful?" When he just smiled, the look familiar and telling of how hard it would be to get a straight answer out of him, she sighed and shook her head. She didn't have enough energy for a battle of wits. "No, I don't know if I could eat anything." With him settled comfortably in the chair it was quite apparent he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Um... Megumi-sensei didn't really tell me what I have..."

"Pneumonia. That's why your lungs are heavy." There was a pause and then. "I'm sorry. Kenji-chan told me this morning that you have been coughing a lot, but I... had hoped it was nothing."

Frowning, Kaoru forgot her wariness briefly. "Why does it sound like you're trying to blame this on yourself?"

"Kaoru-san… it is my fault. It's summertime. Only the storm we were caught in could be the cause, and what with the circumstances of that day…"

"I see." Interrupting him, Kaoru crossed her arms and feigned derision. If she wanted to be honest, though, she was not ready to have the conversation his words suggested. "Now there's the arrogant rich boy I thought you were supposed to be." Ignoring his shocked surprise she shook her head. "I take responsibility for my own actions. I would never try to blame this on anyone else." Seeing Yahiko had put some things back into perspective for her, shoving aside the helpless little girl that used to depend on her father, and reasserting the independent woman she was today. "I just didn't think it was really that bad. Who worries about a measly cough anyway?"

Letting her deter the conversation, Kenshin felt just a bit sorrowful that she was so obviously wary of what he was going to say. "I think it depends on how bad it is, Kaoru-san."

Shrugging her shoulders, she crinkled her brow in sudden thought. "Isn't pneumonia contagious?"

"It can be. Why?"

"Is Kenji-chan ok? He hasn't been coughing or anything has he?" Anxious she reached out a hand to wrap around his arm, her fear overriding everything else. It was that love she had for his son that reinforced his surety that she was perfect for them.

"Kenji-chan's fine. In fact, if there's anything wrong with him it's because he's worried about you." _And angry with me._ Standing with a smile, Kenshin stuck his hands in his pockets. "Now if you're done asking questions I think I'll go find that doctor and see if we can't get you out of here."

Nervousness suddenly plagued her with what that meant and Kaoru leaned back into her bed to put distance between them. If he was taking her home then they would be alone together, and after realizing what she had she was afraid of what would be said. Either they would remain friends and try to continue on as they had before the mishap, or he would realize how futile such an attempt would be and completely sever their ties. Either way her heart was going to be broken. "T-that would be nice." Being nice to her was merely a futile attempt to soften the blow.

x

Kenshin slowly came to consciousness with the light feel of something shifting across his legs. Blinking slowly he smiled when the feeling repeated itself, a soft sigh filtering through the air to his ears as well as the near silent scrap of cotton rubbing against upholstery. Lifting his stiff neck up off the back of the couch he stretched it to relieve the awkward tension, before looking down at the blanket covered feet resting in his lap. His hands were curled comfortably around the ankle of one leg and the heel of the other foot, apparently wishing to keep them there.

The room was dark except for where the blue default screen of the DVD player shown on the television and the cracks of light from the afternoon sun filtered through the curtains. This didn't stop his perusal of the relaxed form of the woman lying spread out on the couch next to him, however. Her mouth was parted slightly to breathe, her bangs curling into her eyes and on the arm of the couch she was resting heavily against, and one arm was hidden under the blanket covering her, the other hanging limply off into the air. Exhaustion had weighed her down for most of the morning and afternoon, and when she had insisted on staying out in the living room rather than in her bed he had plugged a movie in for them to watch together. Fifteen minutes in, she had promptly passed out.

Smiling softly, a bud of emotion forcing its way into his chest, he leaned over her. Bracing his weight carefully behind her back with one arm, he brushed the other hand down the curve of her jaw. Resisting the tempting idea of curling up with her, he pulled away and gently moved her legs so he could stand up. If he stayed near her vulnerable form too much longer the temptation would be too strong. Stretching and running a hand through his hair he silently made his way to the kitchen, the layout of her house now lodged in his brain after taking care of her all day. Fishing around in her fridge, sighing again at her lack of food, he pulled out a jug of orange juice and began another search for a cup. Sipping at the liquid to relieve him of the stale taste in his mouth he glanced up at the clock on her wall, a niggling idea pulling at his brain.

He had already called work while at the hospital, amused to find out that Aoshi had already known about Kaoru because he had been the one to give Misao his personal phone number. Never before had he ever called into work, unless Kenji himself was sick, and that did not happen often. Having a Monday off was a little strange to him. Aoshi had assured him that everything could run without him, and he in fact knew everything his boss would want to be done and not done, so he should not worry about the company and concentrate on taking care of Kaoru. Kenshin found this knowledge rather eye opening. Maybe giving Aoshi a little more responsibility wouldn't hurt either of them.

No, what was bothering him had more to do with the fact that he had forgotten something else... or rather someone else. _I'm going to be late getting Kenji!_ Choking on his drink Kenshin hurriedly sat the cup down in the sink and ran back into the other room, stopping indecisively by the couch and the sleeping woman on it. _I shouldn't wake her up, she's supposed to sleep as much as possible... but I don't want her to wake up without me being here. It took me long enough to get her to start relaxing around me again, I don't want to have to start all over._ Thinking back over the afternoon he could clearly see the nervous tension that she had struggled with and the wary way she would meet his eyes when he reached to help her. _I definitely don't want to start over again._

Looking around for a piece of paper and pen, he wrote a quick note and left it on the coffee table in front of her. Hesitating long enough to tuck the covers back around her shoulders he darted to the door to put his shoes back on.

Driving to the day care center he felt excitement fill him at the prospect of surprising his son. It was something he hadn't thought about all day, since he knew for a fact that she wouldn't have stopped by to see him. Trying to contain the grin that pulled at his lips Kenshin jumped out of the car and jogged up the sidewalk to the door. Clearing his throat at the sad look he could already see on his son's face, he struggled down the happiness in his eyes so he could relate.

The matron smiled at him when he slowed down, a sad line that told him Kenji was not happy, but it was overrode by a curious lifting of her brow at the state of his clothes. Himura-san always showed up in a business suit and tie, if not the jacket as well, but today Kenshin's clothing was wrinkled and there was no tie at all. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to the elbows and the bottom was only half-tucked. He did not look as professional as he always did, especially with the unruly lift of his hair.

Catching the expression Kenshin swallowed then dropped a look at himself, his eyes widening at the state he was in. "Uh... it's been a long day." Offering the excuse he was relieved when it cleared up some of the worry in her eyes. Bending down level with Kenji, Kenshin grabbed his bag and threw it over his own shoulder before frowning at the way his son sadly wrapped himself around his neck.

"Kaoru-san didn't stop by today." Sad words whispered softly into his ear as Kenshin hugged him and stood, soothingly rubbing a hand up and down his back.

"I'm sure she had good reason not to, Kenji-chan." Nodding at the matron he turned back to the car, resting his cheek on the top of Kenji's head in reassurance.

"Yeah..." The tone of his voice said that this didn't help him any and Kenshin was only able to keep from dropping into sorrow himself with the knowledge that his son was going to be ecstatic soon.

Racing home, faster than normal, but still safely with his son in the back seat, Kenshin carried his still sulking son to the door of their house and stood him up to take his shoes off. "Now, Kenji-chan, I want you to go upstairs and pack your teddy bear and a couple movies you would like to watch, okay? Maybe your coloring books too." Watching his son lift confused irises to him he finally let out the grin he had been holding back. "Those pictures you drew last week might make Kaoru-san smile."

Squealing, Kenji jumped up and down and hugged his leg. "We're going to see Kaoru!" Taking off up the stairs, his feet pounding through the house, Kenshin smiled at the energy and excitement just her name could induce in the boy. Walking to his own room on the first floor he shrugged out of his stuffy clothes and dressed in something more comfortable before packing a bag with a change for the next day and a set to sleep in. Following his son up the stairs he laughed at the frantic motions of the little fireball, the bag he was stuffing full of things to show Kaoru almost overflowing.

"Kenji." Rebuking him gently he leveled a look at him when he sheepishly glanced up through his bangs. Biting his lip Kenji started taking things back out. "Thank you." Walking into the room he opened the dresser drawers with his son's clothes, packing what he would need and another set just in case. There was no telling what his son could do, even in an environment that suggested he wouldn't be able to.

"Are you ready?"

Zipping up the bag and securing it on his back Kenji stood and grinned. "Yep."

"Ok, we're going to make a quick detour to the grocery store but I promise not to take too long." Watching a small pout form on his mouth Kenshin took his hand and led him downstairs. "You'll help me pick out what kind of flowers she'll like won't you?" The pout disappeared.

x

Kenji smiled up at his dad before placing a finger in front of his lips, holding in a giggle at the wink Kenshin gave back. Tiptoeing into the room he circled the couch until he could see Kaoru, practically bouncing when he found her still asleep. Kneeling next to her Kenji reached out a hand to playfully poke her cheek, stilling when his father gave him a hushed warning.

"Carefully, Kenji-chan... Kaoru-san isn't feeling well."

Nodding in remembrance of the conversation they'd had in the car, he patted her cheek softly instead, not able to contain his giggle when her eyes fluttered and she gave a noise of protest. At the sound blue irises flew open in surprise, focusing on the small red-head in front of her before she relaxed and smiling sleepily.

"Hey, firecracker."

Rubbing at her eyes to banish the dryness she dropped her other arm to brush over his hair while she yawned. Moving to sit up she was doubly surprised by the way he placed one small hand on her chest and pushed lightly for her to lie back down.

"No. You rest now. We're going to take care of you."

Lifting a brow and turning her head to the chuckling father, she gave him a look that had him laughing harder. Huffing in irritation she crossed her arms and pouted.

"Mou, if he's as bad as you I think I'm in trouble."

Smile broadening as he stepped closer Kenshin leaned over her as if to share a secret, his breath ghosting across her ear. "He's much worse."

Smiling secretively at the once again close exchanges between his father and Kaoru, Kenji skipped out of the room to get his bag. Pulling it all back to the living room his child's gaze did not recognize the redness of her cheeks as anything particularly significant, nor the way his father's fingers brushed at the hair sticking to the side of her chin. "I brought stuff so you won't be bored, Kaoru-san. That way Daddy can make supper and then we can watch a movie and then bedtime."

"Really?" Chuckling at his informative relay Kaoru reached out to play with the ends of his hair.

"Yep, no staying up past eight o'clock." Eyes lighting with a sudden thought, Kenji circled both hands around the arm nearest his face. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Kenji, I don't think..." Rebuking his inconsideration Kenshin stopped when one of Kaoru's hands reached up to circle his wrist, forcing his attention down to the woman on the couch.

"Oh sweetie... I wouldn't want you to get sick too." Brows furrowing together as he contemplated her words, Kenji's fingers slipped off her arm and back to his lap. "Maybe when I'm feeling better you can ask your father if you can stay the night."

"Yeah!" Directing excited eyes to his father, he watched him laugh at his blatant happiness.

"How could I say no to that?"

Practically bouncing at the notion Kenji jumped up off the floor to hug his father, listening as Kaoru's laughter joined in. Grinning cheerfully at his own goofiness and the effects it had on the two adults he closed his eyes instinctively when his father reached down to rub a hand over his head affectionately.

"Alright, Kenji-chan, why don't you show Kaoru-san your coloring books while I attempt to make something for supper?"

Kenji happily spent the next forty minutes showing Kaoru his pictures and then coloring a few more with her help. He had allowed her to sit up when she asked, the serious warning in his voice forcing her to bite her lip and fight a smile. Shrugging off her amusement in confusion he leaned into her leg as he sat on the floor, mindful of her sickness yet eager to show, explain, and receive praise and soak in the love she showered upon him.

"What's this one, little man?" Picking out a half drawn picture from the back she mock pouted when he slipped it quickly from her fingers.

"That's not done yet! You can't see!" Replacing it carefully back in the book and shoving it into his bag Kenji made sure to place it far from her reach. Turning a glare at her grinning figure he crossed his arms and scolded her. "You don't look at that."

"Of course not." Opening her eyes wide and trying to look as innocent as possible, she waved her hands in front of her. "I wouldn't dare."

Looking her over uncertainly Kenji only half relaxed. "You promise?"

"I promise." Wiping the smile from her face she bowed her head respectfully. "I would never betray your trust, Kenji-chan."

Smiling happily Kenji jumped up on the couch, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to with the state Kaoru was recovering from. "I know. I trust you." Burrowing into her side and wrapping arms around her stomach, he laid his head down on her chest and closed his eyes. _This is what it's like to be held by a mommy. When Kaoru's my mommy I hope she lets me do this a lot._ Sighing in contentment he wriggled slightly in joy when she placed a soft kiss on the crown of his head. _I love my mommy._

"Kenji, not too tight... Kaoru-san still isn't feeling well."

Popping open his eyes at the sound of his father's voice he ducked his head, his face falling at the knowledge that he was going to have to move now. Light pressure on his back held him when he tried, however, Kaoru's arms keeping him in place.

"He's okay, I don't mind. And he isn't hurting me. I really feel much better now, Himura-san."

Kenji looked up her when she spoke, but when an exasperated sigh left his father's mouth he turned to him in surprise.

"Kenshin. Please. Why won't you call me Kenshin?"

Kaoru giggled and just shrugged her shoulders, enjoying his frustration. Kenshin himself half-chuckled at her giggles and Kenji was left to wonder why it was so funny. It didn't really matter too much to him, though, he just liked that they were getting along again and that his dad was not avoiding her.

"Ok, ok, I give up." Throwing his hands in the air in defeat he rolled his eyes dramatically. "I just can't win against you. Supper is ready, though," Talking as he walked forward he reached down to disentangle Kenji and help her up. "And I'm afraid I am going to have to insist that we eat at the table."

"Awww... do we have to?" Whining as she stood she grinned into his face, bracing her weight only partially on him. Kenji giggled at her tone of voice and joined in, but stopped when his dad threw a conspiratorial wink his way.

"Why don't you lead the way, Kenji? It's just through that other room." Pointing at the door he was meaning Kenji followed his finger and then nodded uncertainly. Ducking his head into the other room his eyes widened at the scene and then he muffled a giggle into his hands. Skipping hurriedly into the dimmed room he took his place on the side of the table with only one plate and knelt down on the cushion like Kaoru had taught him to.

"Well it smells good." Freezing in the doorway Kenji watched her blue eyes widen in surprise and her mouth hang slackly open. "Wha...?"

The dishes and bowls full of food were all specifically placed on the low table, three of the four cushions seated around the square accompanied by a cup of steaming tea and carefully laid chopsticks. Candles glowed around the surface creating a warm ambiance in the room while still brightly illuminating their supper. A bouquet of flowers lightly scented the air over the food, the bright colors of the petals compliments of Kenji's selection. They way they shadowed was quite attractive and Kaoru was awed over their beauty.

Kenji watched as his dad led her to her own set and helped her settle onto the cushion. An indulgent grin tilted Kenshin's lips when she didn't even protest his help like she had all afternoon. When he stopped, however, and curiously looked up at his son, he titled his head and questioned in confusion.

"Wouldn't you rather sit by Kaoru-san, Kenji?"

Shaking his head Kenji slumped into his seat. "I wanna sit over here."

"You don't think you'll need help?"

"I can eat by myself." Petulantly crossing his arms he glared into the violet eyes of his father and only relented when Kenshin did.

"Alright, Kenji-chan."

Kenji grinned to himself at his trick bright eyes taking in the two across from him.

Kenshin settled down onto the cushion, only slightly hesitant, and pretended the seating didn't bother him. Not that it did, he was only worried over her reaction of the placement. Earlier when she had fallen asleep across the couch they had not been touching, her form curling into a tight ball opposite of him. In sleep, however, neither had noticed that she had stretched out over his legs as well. Even if he had, though, he would not have moved her for fear of waking her.

Now, like this, he could feel the tension and the warmth heating the mere space between their arms. Her every movement was anticipated and feared; watched yet wanting, needing to be ignored. It was in a similar situation that such an occurrence like their almost kiss had happened. There was something in the air between them that stirred his response in a way that he had little to no control over. It caught him off guard and killed his reason, willing him like an angel of temptation to act when there was yet no excuse to act. Thoughts so guiltily tinged and meandering millions of miles away from their innocently intimate dinner he jumped when she sighed after the first tasting of her food.

"What?" Suddenly anxious and wondering irrationally if she had read his thoughts, he questioned her a little too quickly.

"You cook better than I can." Morosely picking at her tofu she sighed again and let her chin drop into her hand.

Kenji giggled at her pouting face and Kenshin had to join in. She looked so completely depressed by this one notion that he couldn't help himself. Biting his tongue when she shot him a look that threatened to burn him alive he choked down the heavier laughter that heaved against his ribs.

"If you don't shut up I'm gonna beat you over the head."

Clearing his throat Kenshin ducked his head obediently. "Yes ma'am."

x

Kaoru woke to the feeling of weightlessness, her head leaning heavily against something solid and warm. Mind sluggish and muscles comfortably relaxed she only had enough strength to crack open drowsy eyes to see what her predicament entailed. For the fourth time that day red filled her vision, a tickling brush of soft hair covering her nose and moving with the motion of her breath. A muffled noise escaped her throat, prompting what she was balanced against to hum back. It was a wonderfully deep rumble of sound that surrounded her, causing her to burrow herself into it. The hum deepened into a purr of amusement.

Her next jolting sensation was the bounce of a mattress beneath her and memories of the day began popping back into place as she realized that it must be Kenshin bringing her to her bedroom. Suddenly nervous, uncertain and a little wary Kaoru fluttered her eyes open to stare up at the face of the man leaning over her. His fingers were carefully pulling the blankets out from under her legs, spreading the layered length over her body as his irises diligently avoided hers. Light from the single lamp on her night table cast his face into shadows, his tanned skin glowing with warmth, his features open and unthreatening. It wasn't until his fingers moved to brush stray hairs behind her ears did he meet her gaze, an emotion settling over his eyes that darkened them to a curious mixture of gold and purple.

"You fell asleep on the couch."

Nodding at his informative, if unnecessary, filler, she dropped her eyes from his heated stare, unsure of how to handle the type of situation she found herself in. The atmosphere was somehow thick and she was almost sure that he was going to say something about what had happened on the beach. Needing to say something to distract them from that conversation, she answered back hurriedly.

"I must still be tired... um... are you leaving now?" Glancing behind him to the door, she searched for Kenji, wanting to tell him goodbye before they left. "Did Kenji fall asleep too?"

"Yes." Amused, he humored her. "I almost felt bad having to separate you two." They had been cute together on the couch, and much too comfortable... for his heart to handle.

"Will you tell him goodnight for me?"

"You can tell him good morning tomorrow."

"But..." Confused, Kaoru frowned.

"Takani-sensei said you should not be left alone, just in case you get worse before you get better." Taking in the expressions on her face he chuckled. "Kenji and I will be in the guest bedroom if you need anything. Don't be afraid to ask, Kaoru-san." Her features became contrite.

"I'm sorry. If I had known you were staying I would have prepared the room for you."

Shaking his head Kenshin settled himself on the edge of her bed. "I wouldn't have let you anyway and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah." A smile spread across her lips and she sighed snuggling further under her comforter. Her eyes wanted to drift shut but Kenshin had not moved or said goodnight yet. His face was troubled and his muscles were tense as if hesitant. "Himura-san?"

A sad sigh fell from his lips and she almost felt bad at her instance in calling him that. Then his eyes were locking back with hers, determination plain in their depths. Fear made her heart jump. "Kaoru-san... I was wrong to ignore you like I did." The words signaled what she had dreaded and she fought to hide her anxiety. "I did not mean to hurt you or the relationship you have with my son. There is no excuse that I can offer you that makes sense even to me. I didn't plan for what had happened, and I'm sorry I put you in such a situation. It was even worse of me not to explain myself to you afterwards. I promise I will never do that to you again." His head bowed slightly in contriteness, his eyes breaking away from hers.

"Oh." It was all she could manage as the fragile hopes that had blossomed under his tender care fell to pieces around her. _I knew it. He does only want to be friends. I... had hoped.. he was so sweet all day and... with dinner and everything... _Swallowing with difficulty she automatically nodded her head when he spoke again, unwilling to listen to him speak of how unlikely it could ever be for them to be together. Unable to block it all, a few contradicting words penetrated her brain. "Wait. What did you say?"

"I was hoping to make it up to you." One corner of his mouth tilted upwards. "Are you free on Friday evening?"

"I uh... yeah, I guess so." _Oh, he just wanted to make plans._ "Are you, um... wanting to take Kenji somewhere?"

"I wanted to take _you_ somewhere... if that's ok." Watching blue irises widen slightly in surprise, he made sure he could read delight there too before he spoke again. "Only if you're feeling up to going anywhere by then. We can always just stay in and watch movies with Kenji-chan if you aren't." A smile trembled on her lips, her muscles fighting to keep it in check. "Well? Will you let this unworthy one take you out to dinner or are you going to make him beg?"

Mischief sprung in with her delight, and his smile wavered at the devilish gleam that slanted her eyes. "Hmm... consent to dinner without a fight or make you beg? I don't know... I've always wondered if rich men beg differently than the rest of us." Her smile broke loose with her teasing prompting Kenshin to play along. Dropping off the side of the bed to his knees, he took one of her hands in his and set the most pitiful look he could muster on his face.

"Didn't you know we're even more pathetic and annoying?"

Laughing freely and tugging at her hand she smacked him softly on the head. "Get off the floor, baka. I won't have you hurting your knees on that hard wood." Blushing as he leaned his head into the hand he recaptured her voice dropped from scolding to affectionate. "And of course I'll go with you to dinner."

Violet eyes closed in languid contentment at her consent and he hesitated a moment longer to enjoy the feel of her fingers unconsciously tangling in his hair before he stood slowly to his feet. "I'll let you get some sleep then, Kaoru-san." Reaching for the light he threw the room into darkness and had to consciously urge his feet to the door so as not to linger by her side. "Goodnight."

Whispering her own reply as the door slid shut Kaoru waited until his footsteps echoed down the hall before letting loose the silly ass grin that wanted to run rampant across her face. To hell with being sick. She was going to get better by Friday if it killed her.


	6. Dinner and A

Disclaimer: I don't want to talk about it... I prefer to ignore depression.

**Chapter 6: Dinner and A…**

Kaoru looked at her reflection in the mirror and made a face, causing the younger woman behind her to giggle and swat at her hand for the hundredth time.

"No touching. That's Himura's job." Breaking out in more giggles when Kaoru's face dropped into horror at the suggestion, Misao fought her grin.

"Misao!"

"What?" Innocently staring back at her with wide eyes she smirked when sapphire irises finally broke the gaze of her own aquamarine ones. Turning her attention back to the thick strands threaded through her fingers she jabbed it with another pin. Stretching her neck back to admire the look before giving herself a nod of approval she jabbed it again. Both women ignored the fact that Kaoru was sitting in only her towel and underclothes. Since they had almost grown up together it killed any embarrassment about the scene.

Kaoru, forcing herself to hold her head straight for her friend's benefit, skeptically looked herself over. They had decided against a lot of makeup, after she had argued until her face turned red, and so she wore only a soft gold eye-shadow that Misao swore pulled out the color of her eyes and made them sparkle. This coupled with the dark liner around the top lash and lightly on the bottom made them larger and apparently more vulnerable looking; an aspect Misao once again informed her was appealing to males like Himura. And, she suspected, "Aoshi-sama" too.

Rolling her eyes half-heartedly she pursed her lips and tried not to think about the gloss she was going to wear as well. _Mou! If she keeps this up Kenshin isn't going to recognize me and either excuse himself and run screaming back home or like this better and want me to wear it all the time._ Grimacing at both conclusions she sighed and ignored the questioning glance she received for that action. _I just hope... that I don't make a fool of myself. I mean he didn't really tell me where we were going and I'm not a high class society type of person. What if I embarrass him or something? What if I get a piece of food stuck in my teeth and he doesn't tell me? What if I rub my eyes and forget I'm wearing makeup? What if he wants to do something I'm not totally comfortable with? Scratch that. What if he doesn't?_

Letting that last thought sink in fully she covered her face with both hands and blushed. _And I've been calling Misao a pervert all afternoon. Good God it's rubbing off!_

"Now that's what I'm talking about."

Glancing over her fingers to see the slim form behind her rest both hands on her hips in triumph she averted her eyes to take in her reflection again. Apparently she had finished with her hair. _Finally. Mou._ Blinking a couple of times, she dropped her hands and twisted her head this way and that to test the weight. It surprised her how light-headed she felt.

"Wow…"

Every inch of her black hair was curled back into a French twist, the heavy bangs that usually covered her face pinned back as well which left only a lighter layer to frame her cheeks and eyes. Reaching up a tentative hand she ran one of the short strands between her fingers, marveling at how much of an effect just doing her hair could have on her facial structure. _I have a pretty high forehead... and my cheeks are sharper than I thought. _Looking back to her life-long friend she watched her smile knowingly and then swat at her hand one more time.

"Don't ruin the effect before he gets here. I want to see his reaction when he realizes he's going out with a goddess." Giggling and jumping to the closet Misao threw open the doors and started digging through her clothes. "So we decided on the short, black one didn't we?"

"No. _You_ decided on the short black one. _I_ decided on the longer one."

"But you can't even see your ankles in that dress!" Scandalized Misao shot her a look from behind the sleeve of a shirt. "Come on girl! He's going to want to see some leg! Besides," Turning back to her digging she muffled the rest of the sentence into the hangers of clothing. "It's not like he hasn't seen you in that bikini."

"Yeah, but..."

"Aha!" Unearthing herself from the mess she held up the dress triumphantly. Ever since the moment Kaoru had asked her for help getting ready Misao had pictured her in this dress. It was appropriately conservative as well as sexy. It wouldn't matter where he took her, Kaoru was going to look good.

"No."

"Kaoru!" Whining and stepping over to her she held it out between them and gave her that puppy dog look she hated and couldn't resist. "At least try it on and see what you look like in it. It's not as short as you think."

Glaring back and pursing her lips she fought the urge to give in. Fought it... wavering... _dammit!_ "Oh give me the stupid dress." Ripping the hanger out of her hand she threw it on the bed and yanked at the knot in her towel. _It is cute... but my legs are too muscular to pull off this look. I'm just going to look stupid._ Grinding her teeth at the excited bouncing of the girl next to her she stepped into the v-neck and slipped her arms through the small holes. A small roll of her shoulders shrugged the short sleeves all the way on. Obediently letting Misao zip her up she smoothed her palms over the soft material and frowned down at her knees. _Oh yeah, look at all those scars. Real ladylike._

Raising an eyebrow at the squeal that filled the air she took a deep breath and twisted to the mirror. The skirt twirled around her thighs, complacently slithering back in place when she stopped. Its loose flow tightened at her hips to show off the gentle flare before curving up her flat stomach where it pulled attractively at her chest, the shimmering color deepening further under each modest swell. The neckline dipped only far enough to attract attention, but was still discreet enough to be polite and tasteful. The short sleeves hung loose off her shoulders, parting at the top and ruffling to a bare four inches of length and caressing her biceps with each movement. All in all with the golden glow from her healthy come back and time at the beach she actually thought she looked decent.

"Oh you look just beautiful, Kaoru. Please say you'll wear it." Tugging on her hand and pleading earnestly, all the honesty in the world showing on her face, Kaoru smiled at her. Seeing her battle won Misao squealed and automatically jumped on her to hug her. "Now for shoes. Those high-heeled sandals we bought a few weeks back will be killer."

Face falling in horror Kaoru put her foot down this time. "Oh no. I am not wearing heels."

"Ahhh. Why not?"

"Because I'd be taller than Himura-san if I do."

Giggling, Misao let her win that one. "That would be funny wouldn't it? Ok, I know you have some cute flats in here somewhere."

Watching her dive back into the closet Kaoru worried at her lip and turned back to the mirror, twisting her figure sideways to get a good look at herself from every angle. _You can see way too much of my back in this dress. I feel kind of naked and silly with that tan line half-way showing. I do have a slim waist, though, and at least all those workouts I can blame my thighs for toned my... well... Not that he'll be looking at that, baka!_ Silently cursing herself more she jumped in excitement and anxiety when a knock sounded through the house from the front door.

"Misao..."

Aquamarine irises darted up at the strained nervousness threading through her friend's near silent voice. Eyes widening as the color drained out of Kaoru's face she jumped up with the sandals in hand. Tossing them on the bed she wrapped a reassuring arm around Kaoru's shivering shoulders.

"You'll be fine. You're going to knock him dead, Kaoru. Really." When she did nothing but direct large eyes her way Misao forced her down on the edge of the bed. "Wait here and calm down ok. I'll go let him in." A short pause followed, Misao's distress rising with her silence. "You know... you can always tell him you still aren't feeling well."

"But..." Breathless with denial Kaoru stirred at the thought and shook her head desperately. "I am feeling better and I do want to go. I really want to go. It's just… what if I mess up?"

"Relax, sweetie. He's probably just as nervous as you are. In fact, you know he's gonna be tripping all over himself trying to please you." A giggle found release from Kaoru's tight throat and Misao smiled as the atmosphere lightened in reaction. "Now, just sit here and take deep breaths. I'm going to see him in before he thinks he's being stood up."

Apprehensive irises followed her friend out of the room and Kaoru returned to worrying her lip as her feet tapped in a nervous gesture on the rug at the end of her bed. Listening with every nerve ending in her body she heard the front door open and the polite greetings they exchanged, accompanied by the cheerful voice of Kenji, which made her smile. A few more words were traded and then she was grinning at the pound of small feet coming down the hallway. Standing when the door was pushed cautiously open she grinned at the little boy staring in at her.

"Hi, little man."

"Oooh. You look pretty, Kaoru-san."

"The effect isn't finished yet you know." Misao, who had followed the boy, came in and closed the door behind her. "We still have to pick out her jewelry. Are you going to help me? I bet you know what your daddy would like."

"Ok."

Kaoru watched in amusement as the two opened her small collection of jewelry. Misao diligently helped small fingers to carefully fish through the contents, and Kaoru had to laugh at the way Misao tactfully pointed him towards the ones she had wanted originally. Kaoru herself had already known, and almost forgotten about, the ones they had decided on. The twin tear drop pearls for her ears matched the larger one on the delicate chain for her neck, perfectly shining when the light caught the surface. They had been a gift from her father to her mother.

Clasping the chain around her neck Kaoru looked down at the bright eyes of the little boy, still a little unsure how he was going to take the fact that her and his father were going somewhere without him. _I hope he won't get mad. I mean... we've never gone anywhere without taking him as the main reason. I don't think I could take it if he got upset._

"Well, what do you think, Kenji-chan? Do I pass inspection?"

Looking to Misao for a translation she bent over and whispered in his ear causing a grin to spread across his face. "Yep. Daddy's gonna love you."

Blushing scarlet she shot Misao a look, wondering what she had said to the young boy and hoping it was nothing his mind couldn't handle.

"Well... thank you, Kenji-chan. That's very sweet of you to say."

"Come on, Kaoru. Stop stalling. Himura's gonna pace a hole through the floor pretty soon. I told him he had to stay put by the door." Leaning in while they walked out into the hall she whispered softly into Kaoru's ear. "And he's definitely a looker."

Clutching the shoes in her hands nervously Kaoru unconsciously worked at the strap of one while straining her neck forward to try and get a glimpse of him before they rounded the corner. Startled when Misao pinched her arm she glared and pinched her back and they began arguing under their breath.

"Stop doing that, you have to make an entrance."

"Well I'm sorry, I was just curious."

"Well stop it. You'll see him soon enough. You have to make an impression."

"I'll give you an impression."

"Stop it!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

"That! Stop that. You're going to ruin your lip gloss."

"Oh would you..."

Stumbling into the front room with a giggling Misao trying to smother her laughter into her hands, Kaoru caught herself against the wall at the same time her eyes connected with his. Leaning heavily at an awkward angle she froze at the wide-eyed stare he was holding on her. Standing to her full height slowly, unable to look away, she swallowed and bit her lip again, holding her shoes in front of her shyly. A blush worked up her cheeks when his gaze lowered and took in her figure with warm eyes and a soft expression.

With the opportunity given to examine his appearance as well she let her eyes wander over the familiar style of hair framing his face, the usually unruly strands combed and half-way controlled. He wore only a casual suit, the cut none-the-less perfect and accentuating the width of his shoulders and maybe even giving height to his stature. The tie he wore made her smile, the simple black length blending into the dark shirt behind it, slashing color into his suit with a shot of red to match his hair. _Oh, he does look good._

Kenji giggled when nothing was said after a long period of time, breaking the tension in the air as he wrapped his small fingers around Kaoru's.

"You gonna be late."

Amusement overcoming her she rubbed a hand over his hair and hugged him. "That wouldn't be good, huh?"

"Nope."

"Alright, Kenji-chan." Blue-violet eyes turned to his father, hopping over when he bent for a hug. "Remember what I told you. Be good for Misao-san, and don't stay up too late. I promise I'll wake you if you're asleep when we get back, ok?" Kissing him softly on the crown of his head Kenshin picked up the bag on the floor and handed it over to Misao. Grinning and shoving a hand in the pocket of her jeans she shrugged off his worry and promised that she had everything under control.

"Just enjoy yourselves and don't you worry about a thing, Himura-san. Aoshi-sama should be here soon."

Shaking his head at that Kenshin could only content himself with the knowledge that at least the other would keep the wired girl under control. Finding Kaoru had moved to stand beside him, one slim leg lifted to buckle on her sandals, he only just caught himself staring again before she looked up.

"Don't forget your coat, Kaoru!" Yelling as she led Kenji to the living room, Misao ducked her head back around the corner. "You could still catch a chill."

Nodding her head and sighing airily she lifted the light, formal coat off of the peg by the door and was startled again when nimble fingers slipped it from her grasp.

"Here." Helping her into the soft material he straightened the collar for her while she adjusted the length, his hand straying to spread warm and firm between her shoulder blades. Whispering her thanks she moved to open the door, biting back a grin when he instantly jumped to open it for her. _I don't know whether it's endearing or annoying._ Lip caught snuggly between her teeth she lowered lashes lengthened with mascara to hide her glow of delight. _But I could definitely get used to him touching me._ The warmth of his palm on her back made the rest of her feel cold in comparison.

At the gate they came face to face with Aoshi, the greeting they traded short but friendly as he made his way to the house. Stopping him before he made it too far Kaoru got a small smile out of him when she asked him to please not let Misao burn her house down. Giggling and enjoying the amused chuckles from her date she met his eyes again, laughter lightening the tense mood and recreating that feeling of comfort they shared on any other day. It was nice to have his companionship back again.

Stepping delicately into the car as he stood with the door opened for her, she adjusted her skirt as she watched him circle around and climb in his own seat. Wondering again at his graceful movements she reaffirmed her thoughts of him practicing swordplay, at least at some point in his life. The notion was slightly exciting and mysterious, especially since she really knew next to nothing about this man's history and past. Maybe tonight she would be able to convince him to talk of himself.

"Ready?" Smiling at his question she nodded her head and affirmed her acceptance. Bringing the car to life he directed them down the street and to wherever he had decided they were going to have supper.

"Do you think Kenji-chan will be ok?" Catching his confused look she dropped her eyes and twiddled with the sleeve of her jacket. "I mean... he wasn't upset because he wasn't coming, was he?"

Smiling softly in amusement Kenshin shook his head over a remembered conversation. "No. Kenji-chan isn't upset." In fact, he had been almost as excited as Kenshin was.

"_You're taking Kaoru-san to dinner?"_

"_Yes, Kenji-chan. Is that alright?"_

_Nodding his little head seriously Kenji made sure his father was aware of his opinion on the matter. "Yep. You're supposed to." Puzzled by this statement Kenshin reasoned he probably thought he owed it to Kaoru for avoiding her and shrugged it off. However, he began to suspect other reasons when blue-violet irises lit up with a new idea. "Are you gonna kiss Kaoru-san?"_

_Eyes widening in surprise Kenshin cleared his throat and tried to come up with a reply to that. "Well... I think that will be up to her, Kenji-chan."_

"_Oh... she won't mind." Turning away from him at that point Kenji had gone back to playing with his toys._

_Mischievous little thing._ Affectionately finishing his thoughts Kenshin looked back over at Kaoru. Her eyes were catching the light from the sun. It turned her irises into a blinding color. _I wouldn't mind either._ After the initial shock of seeing her his heart had returned to its original thunderous pounding with a renewed since of anticipation. This wonderful, beautiful, loving woman was to be his for the entire evening. No one else's. _I just hope that I won't bore her. What is there to talk about without Kenji here to act as a buffer between us?_

"Himura-san?"

_Before the night is over I am going to get her to call me Kenshin._ "Yes?"

"Where did you grow up?"

Startled by her abrupt and unforeseen question he darted a glance at her before grinning to himself. _I guess that's fair. She really knows nothing about me._ "Kyoto."

Raising an eyebrow at his one word answer she pursed her lips and adjusted her seating so she could look at him head on. "Where at in Kyoto?"

Trying not laugh Kenshin shrugged and concentrated on turning a corner. He knew his vagueness frustrated her. "The outskirts." Catching her irritated glance he took pity and decided to elaborate. It wouldn't do to start their date off with a sense of mistrust. "Up on the mountains. It wasn't really in town."

"Did you like it?"

"I liked it well enough." A pause. "It was peaceful and secluded. Definitely a far cry from Tokyo."

Smiling as the sound of his voice gained strength, hoping she had loosened his tongue just a little, she threaded her fingers together. "What were your parents like?" When a frown darkened his face she knew she had asked the wrong question. Suddenly anxious her own smile melted away and her heart gave a painful tug in her chest.

"My parents died when I was very young."

_Oh. Way to go, Kamiya._ "I'm sorry." Hanging her head a little she settled back into her seat and stayed silent. She was unable to think of anything else to talk about in the wake of that announcement.

"Master Hiko raised me." Ignoring her surprised look he went on to explain. "He sent me to school and hounded me about my grades relentlessly. Told me I'd be living on the streets if I didn't pass all my classes with the highest marks." Smiling at her horrified expression he shook his head to reassure her. "Hiko-sama is not a cruel man. Just hard. I think it was the only way he knew how to show he cared. And..." Watching her carefully for a reaction he grinned secretively, knowing it was killing her that he had always skirted around the subject. "... he was no different when it came to teaching the sword. I have sustained more bruises than I wish to count."

"I knew you were hiding something!"

Shrinking back with a laugh as she punched him playfully on the shoulder he chuckled until the mirth settled down, her own laughter playing in his ears.

"You know this means you have to spar with me now."

Raising an eyebrow at her declaration he gave her an uncertain look. "Maybe."

"I refuse to take that as a 'never.'"

Letting her think what she wanted he turned down a street and pulled up in front of a fancy building she didn't recognize. A valet immediately jumped up to the door and opened it for her, his hand offering to help her out. Suddenly nervous she placed her own lightly on his and stepped out of the car before quickly looking around for Kenshin. He was there moments after the door closed soundly behind her, his own hand lifting hers to thread it through his arm.

"You'll be ok." His voice was a whisper in her ear and she smiled and willed her hand not to shake as much as it wanted to. It was just her and Kenshin, nothing to be afraid of. Just her and Kenshin... and a bunch of other people staring as they passed, and whispering in blatant voices, and nodding with knowing eyes. _I really think I would have settled for fast food._

In all actuality Kenshin realized he probably shouldn't have made their first date so public. Though his face was one known only as a successful business man, and not like the dramatic, soap opera lives of movie stars, he was still a name almost everybody recognized. If he wasn't careful he could very well be setting himself up for a drama-like adventure into his personal life. What he was hoping for, however, was a simple notice and that was it. A simple notice that showed this woman was special to him, that she belonged to him, and no one else was allowed near…

Shaking his head against uncharacteristically jealous thoughts and actions he glanced down at her white knuckles and the vice-like grip she had on his sleeve. She wasn't looking around but he could tell that she wasn't oblivious to the people eyeing them. It wasn't until she heard the click of a camera, though, did she look up. Eyes widened in apprehension she looked to him for a sign as to what she needed to do, how she needed to act. Caught in cerulean depths he wondered why they seemed so much larger than he remembered and so much more vulnerable than her normal personality allowed for. He really didn't like it because it made him want to hurt everything that made her feel that way.

Amethyst flickered briefly with a warmth that was somehow tender yet frightening and Kaoru caught a vague notion that he was angry about something. Then he smiled and it was gone, his free hand lifting to curl around her fingers.

"They only stare because they have never seen anyone so beautiful that they know nothing about."

Humor returning she grinned, the action still slightly nervous, and answered back. "I guess I can understand that. You are pretty good looking, though I think you're just being conceited with the 'beautiful' part."

Laughing, he stopped finally at the reservations table, smiling and nodding when the waiter jumped instantly to show them to their table.

"I can take your jacket for you, ma'am."

"Oh, um..." Looking back to Kenshin she nodded along with his encouraging gesture. "Ok."

Pretending not to notice Kaoru's surprise he led her through the maze of other guests, watching from the corner of his eye as she did gaze around in wonder and a childish delight.

The lights in the dinning room were low, the seating intimate and personalized. With individual lamps glowing at each table it was easy to forget that you were in a public restaurant. A string of music floated to her ears as they passed a doorway to another, brighter room. Tune soft and relaxing, it led a few couples through the steps of a dance she was familiar with, their smiling faces directed toward each other, affection apparent in their eyes. Blushing at her glimpse of intimacy between others she wondered briefly if someone would look at her and Kenshin that way sometime during the evening. Would they be envious over the warmth that they shared? Would they see something in her eyes that would give away the depth of her feelings for the man? Would they see something in his?

Sitting down in her seat with a smile and a thanks to their waiter as his hands pushed in her chair for her, she watched Kenshin settle across the table. Looking uncertainly to Kenshin when she was asked what she would like to drink he smiled knowingly before catching the man's attention to save her any embarrassment and ordering for the both of them. When he immediately decided upon a bottle of wine she couldn't even pronounce Kaoru felt her eyes widen again. _If I don't stop it they're going to stay that way._

"Do you not like the choice?" Suddenly anxious himself he waited until after the waiter had left to question her.

"Oh no, it's just... I'm not much of a drinker."

Relaxing he leaned back into his chair. "Me neither. I can order some tea when he comes back if it will make you feel more comfortable."

"Oh no that's ok. I'll be fine." Not wanting him to go out of his way just for her a little place in the back of her mind wailed against spending too much. Even if he probably had more money then she could spend in a lifetime. _I'm too used to not having money to spare. Let alone buying a whole bottle of wine at dinner._

Eyes unable to look at anything but the woman across from him Kenshin watched her play with her fingers, then lift one to rub over her earring. "Kaoru-san... are you sure you're feeling alright? We can leave after we eat if you're not."

"No I'm fine." Brows creasing in suspicion she looked lost for a brief moment. "Were you planning on doing something else after dinner?"

"Well I didn't plan on just feeding you. What kind of a date would I be then?"

"Are we... on a date then?" He had never really made that part clear and a small voice in her head kept arguing that he was simply paying her back for their misunderstanding.

The unsure note in her voice had him reaching for her hand, needing a way to grab her attention and keep it locked securely on him. Rubbing soothingly over her knuckles he smiled to try and relax any anxiety she felt.

"If it will make you more comfortable, I will say no. We can simply be two friends sharing a table and a meal. But I must be honest with you, Kaoru-san. I would very much like to say yes we are."

Trembling at the touch of his fingers and the glide of callused skin against her knuckles, she smiled softly. "I'm not uncomfortable at all. I was merely uncertain if you felt the same way." Blushing at the confession, Kaoru looked away, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

"A date it is then." Pleased he loosened his grip, ghosting the tips of his fingers along the length of hers as he let go. Leaning back he looked expectantly up to their waiter who had just returned with their wine.

"Have you decided on what you would like to eat this evening?"

Startled Kaoru fluttered her shaking hands over the forgotten menu lying on the table in front of her, the blush creeping up her cheeks darkening. Glancing over the highlighted dishes she felt her head reel and dropped her hands back into her lap like she had been burned.

"Do you need a few more minutes?"

Darting her gaze up to the waiter she averted them quickly to Kenshin only to find another smile of encouragement, and amusement, feathering over his lips. Frowning slightly, her displeasure only seemed to amuse him more. Tilting her chin up she folded the menu shut and handed it to the waiter. "I'll have what he's having."

Grinning he relayed his order to the waiter and handed over his own menu, laughter bubbling out of his mouth not a second after the man had turned away.

"What are you laughing at?" Defensive she huffed out a breath at the stray hair in her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have distracted you. I always get the same thing when I have to come here for business meetings, so I didn't give a thought to what we were eating." _My eyes are going to be insanely preoccupied all night. How did she get all of that hair up off her neck? And why haven't I noticed before how regal and challenging and attractive she can be with just the lift of her chin? Is it because I can see her face better without the concealing fall of her bangs? Lord knows I use my own to disguise certain degrees of emotion. Though it is usually for anger… when I'm with her what I feel is probably the furthest I can get from it._

_He's staring again. I wonder what he finds so fascinating. He's probably trying to figure out why I glooped so much makeup around my eyes. I swear if I have to battle off one more attack of itchy eyes I'm going straight to the bathroom and washing this crap off. Yeah... then I'll really look like a raccoon. Oh I wish he'd stopped doing that! If he licks his lips one more time I'm either going to smack him upside the head and call him a pervert... or worse... jump across the table and kiss him senseless. Wonder what people would think of that yummy little scenario. Guess we wouldn't be having dinner here if it happened. Grrrr… Bad Kaoru! I knew Misao was rubbing off on me!_

She was making the cutest faces. He wondered if she even knew how easy it was to read her emotions from those expressions. At that moment he was enjoying the way a frown pouted out her lower lip, the velvet texture glistening slightly with moisture, her gloss a lost cause as she had ruined it in the car. No matter, they were wet enough on their own. _She's tempting me. She has to know what she's doing. _But as innocently bright irises rose with the sweep of long lashes he knew she didn't. Kaoru was not a temptress; she was not the type of woman who seduced men with such wiles. Kaoru was strong and independent, honest and down-to-earth, and she was all the more appealing because of it.

"Soo... was Shinomori-san mad when you didn't show up Monday or Tuesday?" Grasping at anything she forced the beginnings of a conversation, needing to distract his eyes away from her mouth. He was really doing queer things to her stomach.

"Actually I think he was almost relieved."

"Really?"

Sighing, Kenshin shook his head. "He thinks I work too much. Although he would never say that so blatantly to my face."

"How long has he worked for you?" Curious now, realizing she had never really thought about Kenshin's work habits, she tilted her head to the side and tried to understand his daily life.

"Almost six years. We graduated from college together and he and another good friend helped get my business started."

"So Shinomori-san is kind of like a co-owner?"

"No. He told me that he would rather not get mixed up in what that entails with the media I would have to agree with him, but it couldn't be helped for the first few years. Now, thankfully, we have better people to handle that type of stuff."

"And because you are the owner does that mean you have more responsibilities than Shinomori-san?"

"Of course."

"Maybe more than you need?"

Kenshin pursed his lips and frowned at the woman across from him. "You're starting to sound like some of the members on the board."

Grinning she sat back in her chair. "I take it that was a yes. You know, if more than one person sees this there has to be some truth to it. I don't even know what it takes to run something so intricate and I still think you would be the type of person who tries to do too much."

"It's my company. I do not want to sit back and enjoy only the benefits of it. I would rather know what is happening than not."

"I can understand that but you have a good friend working with you. I doubt he would just let something happen without telling you about it. Besides, didn't you say that there was another who helped you out in the beginning as well?"

Kenshin leaned back in his own seat and gave her a considering look, if not a little bit exasperated. "Yes... he helps run my U.S. branch with Master Hiko."

"Even your adopted father helps you?" Amazed at the amount of close help he really had Kaoru crossed her arms, suddenly unsure of this man and his sanity. Why take so much on yourself when there were so many willing to help?

"I asked him if he would when it became apparent that the business needed to expand. Setting up a branch in the United States was a smart move, but I also needed somebody I could trust. My friend Sanosuke had always wanted to go to America, and while I trusted him, I also knew he needed someone with a more level head to handle some aspects that he couldn't."

Blinking rapidly, Kaoru dropped her arms into her lap. His business was much larger than she had thought if he had a branch in the U.S. "There's a lot more to this than I had first realized. How do you keep track of everything?"

Grinning he reached for the forgotten bottle of wine and filled her glass for her. "How about a drink?"

"Oh... thank you." Lifting it carelessly to her lips she sipped at the liquid, than made a face and placed the glass back down on the table.

Noticing the look he set his own drink down untouched and sighed. "You really should have said something, Kaoru-san."

"What do you mean?" Grimacing still she cleared her throat and tried not to cough. _Now I remember why I don't drink alcohol. It's the aftertaste._

Waving a hand at the waiter to come back he motioned for him to take the bottle away.

"We decided we would rather just have some tea. Whatever kind you recommend."

Glancing over at Kaoru's frowning face the waiter sounded stricken when he next spoke. "The lady does not like the wine?"

Darting worried irises up at being caught Kaoru opened her mouth to deny it, then thought better of the action and simply shook her head in reply.

"My apologies. I will have the tea out immediately."

As he hurried away Kaoru turned confused eyes to her date, letting her perplexity speak through her gaze as well. "It wasn't his fault."

Laughing freely, several eyes darting to them at the unexpected noise, Kaoru frowned again at his amusement. _This man is almost infuriating. Why did I agree to come with him?_

"He gets paid to make it his fault."

"Yeah, but I don't do that at my job."

"That, my lady," Bowing his head in mock representation of the waiter, he grasped her hand in his once more. "is because yours is _only_ a job. His is more like a career."

"I guess I can see that." Laughing with him this time she forgot about the hand held so casually in his and the way his fingers rubbed lingeringly over her knuckles.

When the food came Kaoru almost drooled over the expert dish, wondering how she was ever going to eat her own cooking again after tasting something so exquisite. Kenshin watched her, barely aware of his own movements as the light in her eyes attracted his attention with their innocent wonder over every little aspect of the evening. From the valet helping her out, the waiter taking her coat, and the style of the dining room she had been like a kid in a candy store awestruck by the amount of colorful and oddly shaped constructions of sugar humans have created and packed into one room. It was like giving his son something he was not expecting and watching him delight over the gift. Only while looking in her eyes he did not feel the familiar emotions of amusement and loving pride. With her the feeling was softer, yet no smaller; gentle, yet no less overwhelming. She made his throat tighten, his breathing shallow, and his heart almost... hurt. He wanted more, but feared rushing either of them... _slowly, this is only the first date. Giving in and holding her hand is already pushing your luck._

As she started nibbling on the last pieces of food left in her bowl Kenshin excused himself to the restroom, leaving her alone at the table. Suddenly uncomfortable without his solid presence to center her attention on she found herself noticing others around them. There were a lot of people staring. Smiling at a few she exchanged acknowledgments before choosing to focus on her tea, the remaining vestiges of her drink swirling around the bottom of the cup, cold and lifeless. Rubbing a hand up her arm, she leaned back into her seat, totally unprepared for someone other than her date to take up residence in the chair across from her.

"Umm... Himura-san will be back..."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure he will. Not about to leave someone as beautiful as you here all by yourself I imagine. Be a right fool if he did."

Kaoru smiled uncertainly and looked the man over. He was older and seemed harmless enough. His eyes were kind and she liked that. "Do you know Himura-san?"

"Ah, you're right, how rude of me. The name's Ishijima Michihiro. I keep track of the accounting departments in Himura-san's business."

Kaoru's smile was now genuine, relieved to know that this was someone Kenshin worked with and counted on. "It's nice to meet you, Ishijima-san. My name is Kamiya Kaoru."

"Very good, Kamiya-san. Very good. I am _very_ glad to get to met you. It's nice to see that Himura-san does have a personal life outside of his son." Bowing his head with a wide smile his eyes twinkled. "As much as he loves his son and loves his job, one can only survive for so long without the love of another to give it back."

Blushing Kaoru stuttered and played nervously with her earring again. "You presume too much, I think, Ishijima-san. This is only the first time we have been out together without Kenji-chan."

"And? I have seen the way he looks at you. Only when he sees something he wants have I ever glimpsed that look, and never has his expression been so soft before." Seeing doubt in her eyes he leaned over the table conspiratorially. "Himura-san very rarely ever wants anything for himself and rarer still does he not get it."

Redness deepening on her face she fluttered her hand out uselessly, utterly speechless after that statement. _You did wonder if someone would see something in his eyes. Be careful what you wish for._

"I'm sorry I have embarrassed you, Kamiya-san. I am just happy to see that the man is finally getting over his first wife. It was just devastating what happened. But that's all in the past. This is the now and all of his hard work is finally seeming to pay off. I can see you are a much better match for him. He needs a loving heart. Someone he can laugh with. And you have already met Kenji-chan as well did you say?"

Taking an exasperated breath as the man finally stopped talking she was reminded of Misao, except his voice never hurried, never lost track, and never even bordered hysterical. He was calm and cool, easily handling the conversation into the direction he wanted it to go even as she could think of several things she wanted to say over the rest of his announcements. "Well, yes. Kenji-chan is absolutely adorable. He is the reason I met Himura-san actually."

"Kenji-chan likes you as well?" Making a thoughtful face his eyes smiled for him. "Good, good. I had wondered why Himura-san has seemed much happier and easygoing lately. You are a lucky find then, aren't you? I am jealous. With only a smile you have captured two hearts."

"You really need to stop." Stammering she jumped when a hand curled lightly over her shoulder.

"Are you harassing my date, Ishijima-san?"

"Not at all, young man. I was simply expressing my gratitude that she has gotten you out of the office. Now we may actually get some work done."

Cocking a grin Kenshin shook his head. "Only if you plan on doing it twice. You know I will have it redone if you keep insisting on changing the salary I have set for myself."

"But you own the company boy. You don't get a salary."

"I own the company and I say that I do."

"And it should be larger with as much excess as we have."

"The excess belongs to the company. It is good insurance."

"You'll change your mind once your son gets older."

"Even then I will still have a say in it."

"It's my department."

"It's my business."

"I can alter the numbers."

"So can I."

Breaking off as laughter interrupted their argument the two turned to the woman giggling into her hands, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she tried to stave off her mirth.

"Sorry." Giving up her eyes fell closed and she unconsciously leaned into Kenshin's side, her ribs shaking with her heavy chuckles. Raising an eyebrow and sighing Kenshin moved his hand to her other shoulder to brace her, waiting for her breathing to settle back down to normal. Violet eyes soft with tender affection and a matching humor he missed the knowing smile of the older man sitting in his chair.

"Well now, Himura-san, I think I have taken up enough of your personal time. Thank you for allowing the intrusion, young lady. If you will excuse me, I think my wife is ready to leave." Standing and bowing to them both he nodded one last time to Kenshin. "I'll see you in the office on Monday I suspect. Why don't you take this beautiful woman to the dance floor and give her a spin in the meantime? She just might enjoy it." Leaving the suggestion hanging in the air he walked slowly away to a table in the corner, a smiling lady waiting for him to come back.

"He seemed like a nice gentleman."

"A right impish old man." Agreeing, he shook his head again and looked down into the twinkling eyes of his date, her sapphire irises still glowing with mirth. Tilting his head to the side he looked her over in consideration. "A dance does sound like a good idea. Will you allow me the chance to step on your toes a time or two?" Bowing and holding out a hand for her to accept he smiled at her giggles.

"Only if you will allow me to step on yours." Taking his hand and standing her fingers curled around his when they threaded intimately together.

x

Still reeling from the activity of the dance floor Kaoru giggled as she buckled her seatbelt, her laughter intensifying as she glanced over at Kenshin. Stepping on toes wasn't the only interesting thing that had occurred during their time of fun. They had laughed so much she wondered if they hadn't scandalized a few couples with their overwhelming presence. Kaoru hadn't been able to help herself, though, not with Kenshin twirling her around in such dizzying patterns. She didn't think either of them really had a clue as to what they were doing. At least, she hadn't, maybe he did and was pretending not to. Either way she was so worn out now from trying not to laugh and their never ending movement she could hardly breathe. Which prompted Kenshin to suggest it was time to leave so she could rest. There was no need to encourage her recent illness to flare back up again.

Not that leaving hadn't been half-way disappointing. There had also been dances in between that were slow and calming, with one of his hands braced against her lower back and the other lightly clasped together with hers. She had been overcome with warmth staring up into his intensely focused, stormy violet eyes. Breaking away from that had been hard _and _sought after, as she was not sure what to think of his full, unwavering attention so focused and heated. _He makes me nervous, more so now than before. More because, I don't know what he's thinking even if on the same level I can guess. Guess but still wonder what is exactly on his mind and if he will act upon those thoughts. We are on a date, he said so himself so… I can't be blamed if I expect some kind of intimate show of affection. Just a little one._

Mirth diving under anxious anticipation she darted another glance over to him, his eyes fixed now on the road while his lips still tilted upwards in pleasure. Glancing down at the clock on the stereo she watched it change over to 10:13. They had been in the restaurant way longer than she had thought. _Which means we're probably going back home. I doubt he meant to spend so much time dancing and has decided that whatever he had planned for after dinner will have to be postponed._ Disappointed with the thought she bit back a sigh and tightened a hand into the collar of her jacket. _Kenji's probably asleep already. I wonder how Misao and Shinomori-san have held up. I hope he didn't mind us breaking up a possible date between them just to watch Kenji for us. I'd hate to think I've angered anybody._

Looking up when they came to a slow stop she twisted her head this way and that, realizing she did not recognize where they were. Casting Kenshin an uncertain look he smiled back and climbed out of the car. Unsure she unbuckled herself and opened the door to step up onto the sidewalk, her eyes instantly drawn upwards to the top of the building in front of her. It was tall, beating the other nearby buildings by several stories of height at least. Staring up at the roof, her head craned at an awkward angle, she jumped when a hand spread firmly between her shoulder blades.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's ok." Unconsciously stepping a little closer to him as he led her to the dimly lit front doors she relaxed a little when she caught sight of the large, sophisticated sign standing watch at the entrance. _Oh... this is his building. Well I guess that makes sense._ Huffing out a breath of amusement she saw him cock an eyebrow at the noise.

"Are you trying to brag, Himura-san?" Teasing, she poked him in the ribs.

Grinning mischievously he reached up to knock his knuckles against the glass. "Maybe." As a tall guard walked to the doors his hand slid lower into the curve of her back.

"Good evening, Himura-san." Letting them in without question the guard bowed in greeting and locked the door behind them. "The first elevator is still on if you are going up."

"Thank you, Iwazawa-san."

Walking on past the man Kaoru nodded her head back when he inclined his in acknowledgment, eyes slightly wide in her face as she lifted her stare to the surrounding structures. The lobby was large, the ceiling two stories up, and their footsteps echoed as they marched to the elevator the guard indicated. Inching a little closer, Kaoru felt a thrill of excitement mixed with anxiety zip up her spine when he hit the button to call the elevator to them. They were entering a deserted building, by themselves, and were heading to a place she had never been before and knew nothing about. _I wonder where we're going exactly and what he plans on doing once we get there. He wouldn't… try anything, would he?_ The thought caught her abruptly in the gut and she shot him a look as they stepped into the box.

Kenshin smiled at her, surprised to see alarm tightening her features. _Did I do something wrong?_ Bringing the hand set low on her back to curl around her shoulders he squeezed in what he hoped was a reassuring way and watched her attempt to smile back. _She looks like a mouse staring into the eyes of a cat. Am I really frightening her?_ Disturbed by the notion he crinkled his brow and looked her over again as the doors slid closed. She was frowning, her brow curled in thought, and was twisting her jacket around her fist as if nervous or preoccupied. Reaching out, slightly uncertain himself now, he hit a button on the board and turned his full attention to her. _I need to say something, anything to make her comfortable again. I need to find out what's bothering her._

"Have you... enjoyed yourself?" _Yeah, that was smooth._ Wincing at the strain in his voice he watched her eyes widen alarmingly, the crease on her brow disappearing.

"Of course! I'm glad you asked me to come with you, Himura-san."

Kenshin ignored her use of his surname, trying not to sigh. "I haven't been a bore then?" Attempting to reassert a teasing atmosphere his hand slid once more from her shoulders to trap her fingers.

"Oh no, I've never had a more enjoyable date."

"Glad to be of service." Lifting her fingers to his lips he placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, his grin taking on an unconscious predatory tilt. So when her fingers tightened under his lips and her eyes darted to the screen displaying their current floor he leaned back, his mirth leaving him instantly. _I'm making her uncomfortable._ "Kaoru-san..." Curving his free hand around her jaw he made her look at him. "...what's wrong?"

Looking up into the worry in his eyes Kaoru knew her thought was groundless, no matter how unconsciously suggestive he was acting. _He's acting normal. You're the one acting weird._ Inwardly shaking her head at herself, she conjured up a small smile. "Nothing's wrong. I was just curious about where you were taking me."

Dropping his hand from her jaw he didn't quite buy her explanation, even as it sounded truthful. The mere fact that what she said was true was all the proof he needed. She didn't know where she was and so she was uncertain about what kind of situation he was leading her into. _As the father of a boy she loves she can trust me. I have yet to earn her trust as a man she is dating._ "I wanted to show you something. It's not really a surprise, but I thought you might like it." He paused, his eyes searching hers. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

_He noticed. What a perceptive man._ Widening her smile to reassure him she squeezed his fingers warmly. "I thought I already told you. You don't make me uncomfortable." He relaxed a little and she leaned against him to jokingly tease. "Perhaps a little wary, but a girl needs to be on her guard. Beautiful and mysterious men like you, Himura-san, are quite dangerous, so I've heard." Repeating words from earlier in the evening she grinned when he chuckled, happy that the uneasy moment had passed. "So where is this something you wanted to show me?"

"You'll see." Squeezing her fingers in return he smiled when the elevator dinged for their floor. Leading her out into a hallway, closed doors bracketing them on either side as they made their way to Kenshin's destination, she stared, fascinated, at the door at the very end of the hall. As they came closer she could make out his name printed neatly on the wooden surface but was surprised when he directed her down another hallway away from his office. A few turns later and she was feeling a little lost when he stopped in front of a large metal door and pulled a key out of his pocket. Inserting it into the lock he clicked it open and pushed the door forward, one arm raising to let her by first.

As the heavy door clanged shut behind them she stared up a sturdy, metal staircase, the bend folding over the top of them so she could not see what was above them: their destination. Taking Kenshin's hand when he offered she walked upwards with him, her other hand bracing on the railing next to her. When another door came into view she was beginning to have suspicions on where they were going and a surge of anticipation filled her.

Letting the door swing open in front of them Kenshin watched her eyes light up and her mouth drop slightly open. Hand slipping from his she practically skipped her way forward, her head lifting to the sky and a smile spreading fully across her face. On the roof as they were, taller than any of the other buildings near, the stars were visible, twinkling merrily down at the delighted observer clutching her hands together happily.

"Oh look!" A shooting star speared across the sky overhead, her hand following the path, but Kenshin was more than content to watch it sparkle her eyes, knowing that any wish he would make was already within his grasp to have. "It's so beautiful." The awe in her voice drew him forward, his forefinger drifting slowly down the curve of her cheek. He nodded absentmindedly to her observation, afraid himself now that if he spoke he would break her innocent enjoyment and the spell she held over him.

When her eyes had drunk their fill she lowered them slowly to his face, the smile still lighting her eyes and reflecting into his. Surprised by how close they were her pleasure calmed into a warm buzz, her eyes dropping shyly at the intensity in his. When she suddenly shivered against the stronger and chillier breeze, height cooling the air, the hand that still lingered on her face dropped away.

"Are you cold?" The question was made rhetorical when he immediately began pulling off his suit jacket, leaving him only in a dark shirt and his slightly loosened tie. Throwing the jacket around as she stuttered a protest he slipped the thicker material over her shoulders and adjusted it to cover her folded arms in front of her. "Is that better?"

"But you're going to get cold. I don't want your jacket." About to shrug off the article of clothing Kenshin stopped her with a firm hand.

"No, Kaoru-san, you have just recently been sick. I will not be responsible for it happening a second time. Besides, I'll be fine." Grinning at her frown he once again placed a hand to her back, turning her in the direction of the ledge. "And I wanted to show you something else."

Giving into the heat that permeated from his jacket she slipped her arms through the sleeves, snuggling down into the warmth and taking in a breath through her nose. _It smells like him._ Suppressing a giggle of delight she tucked the ends tighter around her, surreptitiously bringing the longer sleeves covering her fingers up to ball under her chin and letting the smell fill her senses.

Violet irises taking in her furtive movements he smiled in amusement and felt that bud of emotion in his chest throb painfully. She was adorable, heady, delightful, attractive, funny and she was with him. Here. Now. Swallowing thickly his hand rubbed slowly up and down her back, her body leaning closer as she closed her eyes and he could have sworn she purred. _Kami-sama. How am I supposed to resist such a woman?_

As they neared the ledge he carefully wrapped an arm around her to steady her against the wind, enjoying the gasp that fell from her lips as her excitement rose to the surface a second time.

"Wow! You can see the whole city!" Breathless, sapphire irises stared out over the millions of lights shining back at her, barely able to see the darkening of the outskirts because of the moonless night. "Do you come up here often?"

Smiling at the question he hugged her to him a little tighter. "When I need to think I come up here. During the day time you can see further, outside the city... and with the sun warming you... I could stay up here for hours."

Staring at him now her expression softened at the distant look in his eyes. He was sharing a special place of his own with her. A place that he used to center himself. A private place that he shared with no one else. _He's sharing it with me._ "It's beautiful. Thank you for showing me."

Attention returning to her he couldn't help his sudden vulnerability, the clear view he gave her into his soul. What she would see there, how she would read it, he didn't know. He just hoped she could accept. He wanted her to accept… everything.

"Will you bring me back sometime?" Shyness filtered into her eyes and he smiled.

"Anytime."

"Yeah?"

"On one condition." The sudden idea made him grin, his fingers reaching to curl around her neck. Her lips pouted and she turned to face him fully.

"I knew there would be a catch."

Smiling at her return banter his other hand slid to the small of her back, flattening and firmly pressing her forward. "You have to call me Kenshin."

"And what if I don't?" Tilting her head up to meet him eye to eye she felt a ball of heat bud in her chest when his fingers tightened around the nap of her neck, his head lowering closer. Words quieting to a whisper, his breath hot on her lips, he lifted an eyebrow.

"I guess I'll have to find another form of persuasion."

Lips brushing softly over hers he felt her sigh of satisfaction and his grin widened, his partially cracked eyes taking in the open expressions she gave him. Even as her own lids were shut he could read her pleasure, read her want. Trembling with the knowledge his muscles contracted to still the telltale motion, bringing her closer and deepening the contact to something firmer and slightly more urgent. Echoing the fisting of her fingers in the front of his shirt his own curled against her back, her body now curved into his and allowing him to witness her own quivers of emotion.

Warmed both inside and out by the nearness of his body, the loving caress of his lips and tongue, Kaoru let go of his shirt by shear force of will to slide her hands up his chest and dive them into the sleek strands of his hair. A soft moan of encouragement vibrated the lips touching hers and she was disappointed when she felt them draw away, their heavy breathing mingling in the bare space between them. Caught in amber depths her fingers contracted, surprise as much as want tempering her actions. Those amber eyes were drinking in her own lazy sapphire but instead of reinitiating their intimate contact he leaned his forehead against her own. Impatient, she tried to lift her chin to meet his mouth again, but he stilled her, soft masculine laughter drifting into her ears, the sound deep and exciting.

_So willing. So eager. If I had known... I would not have been able to stay away._ Another impatient pull of her hands brought his grip to curve around her face, calloused thumbs brushing over her cheekbones. Giving in when she whimpered in protest he stroked his lips down her jaw, kissing an unhurried path back up her temple, his breath ghosting over her ear. A breathless sound of pleasure rose from her parted lips, tightening his muscles further and forcing his eyes to close as most of her weight braced against him. Swallowing thickly, he parted his eyelids and leaned back to take her in once more. Eyes closed, lips parted, long lashes fluttering over ivory cheeks... she was beautiful in surrender, tempting and undeniable. But he wanted something from her and he would have what he wanted.

Dropping to a new angle he felt her jump when his lips slid down her neck, his tongue a fleeting caress against sweet smelling skin. Her grip contracted in his hair, his lips quirked upwards, and he carefully parted the neck of his jacket to bite down lightly on her bare shoulder.

"K-Kenshin."

Heart twisting harshly in his chest he let his eyelids fall closed, his fingers trailing down the seam of his jacket to circle around the slim body underneath and hold her fiercely to him. The sound was so sweet, so welcome. Never before had he physically ached just hearing the familiar syllables of his name. Somehow her lips transformed it from its harsh origin into a loving plea. And such a needful plea it had been.

Floating in a world of sensation and spiraling heat Kaoru parted her eyes when the man holding her didn't move. A few seconds later she was finally able to assert enough control over her body to look down. With his head securely tucked into the curve of her neck, his hands clutching at her in desperation it was easier to believe something much more tragic had just happened than their first kiss. Releasing her fingers from their grip in his wonderfully soft hair she extracted one hand to questioningly smooth down his back.

"... What's wrong?"

A strained sort of amused puff of air heated her neck and her brows creased together in confusion. "Nothing." He swallowed. "Nothing at all, Kaoru." A deep breath pushed against her and then his lips were brushing her ear again. "I was not prepared for how wonderful my name would sound coming from your lips or for how much I have truly wanted to hear it."

Kaoru felt her eyes widen as she realized that she had indeed let his name stumble over her tongue. Her traitorous mind had given it to her first rather than the other, intimately suggesting that she was allowed to call him that; that she was meant to be so familiar, so close.

"Say it for me again?"

Heart thundering inside her ribs she trembled at the need in his voice. _How could I ever to say no to this man?_

"Kenshin."

Leaning back in curiosity Kaoru looked upon his face; at his closed eyes and red lashes; the slightly bemused smile curving his lips. Biting her lip for another time that evening she mustered her courage and instigated the kiss this time, his mouth a soft press against hers. Sweet and loving he answered back.

x

Kenshin parked in front of the dojo, the clock on his stereo telling him it was almost midnight. Later than he had originally planned on staying out but he could not begrudge one minute. Her ardent responses to his actions was still tingling in his blood. Glancing down with a soft smile at the head leaning into his shoulder, one arm curling through his and circling his biceps with strong fingers, he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. A soft sigh drifted through the car, part satisfaction, partly resigned. She did not want to move, to have to admit that it was over so soon. _I would have gladly spent all night kissing this man._

"I suppose we should see if my house survived."

Chuckling at the break in the slightly gloomy atmosphere Kenshin unbuckled his seatbelt, his movements prompting Kaoru to follow. Climbing out of the car he took her hand to walk her in, their fingers twining and her head resting back on his shoulder. Their actions felt so natural, that evening so wonderful, and he couldn't resist stopping her in front of the door for one last kiss. One last, slow, lingering, emotional caress to hold him over until he could get her alone again to rediscover the way she felt.

Eyes closed in apparent contentment she sighed, making him smile, then her hand reached for the door and he followed her into the house. Slipping off her shoes she waited for him to do the same, both tiptoeing into the living room where a movie was still playing softly. On the floor lay Kenji, a pile of pillows making up a temporary bed as he slumbered peacefully away. The couch was occupied by the adults, Aoshi's figure straight and awake, his arms full of a sleeping Misao who had snuggled so far into his lap she looked like a child herself. It couldn't be at all comfortable for the man but his arms held her in place and there was nothing except his usual blank expression to show his mood.

As the three greeted each other quietly Kenshin moved forward to pick up the toys scattered across the floor, packing them all into his son's bag and sitting it by the couch. Aoshi had stood as well and was placing the sleeping woman back onto the couch under Kaoru's soft instruction. Misao could stay the night since she was already camped out. With one last fleeting brush of his fingers over her hair Aoshi nodded his farewell and left as silently as he had arrived. Bemused by the man her best friend was sharing a relationship with Kaoru shook her head and turned back to Kenshin. With Kenji now curled into his shoulder, the bag held in his free hand, he smiled quietly at her. The warm look turned quickly affectionate when Kenji stirred and whined grumpily, one small hand rubbing at his eyes.

"Time... bed?"

"Yes, Kenji-chan. Past time. Are you going to say goodbye to Kaoru-san?"

A lax nod of his head showed his assent and Kenshin walked over to Kaoru so the boy could give her his farewell. Leaning heavily away from his father Kenji wrapped his small arms around her neck and placed a sloppy peck on her cheek before mumbling a soft goodnight.

"'Night... love you."

A look of surprised delight flushed her face and she hugged him tightly back, kissing him on the crown of his head and brushing his hair away from his face. Kenshin could only feel another rush of pleasure at her reaction. He loved how wonderfully well she was fitting into both of their lives.

Trailing slowly behind the two Kaoru waited patiently as Kenshin slipped his shoes back on, picking up Kenji's for him and stuffing them into the bag. They both hesitated as he stood in the doorway, her fingers playing absentmindedly with his as her teeth worried her lip.

"Goodnight, Kaoru."

Looking up into the warm violet of his eyes she smiled and hurriedly leaned in to peck him on the cheek.

"Goodnight… Kenshin."

Waiting within the doorway, leaning against the wood, she gave a small wave when he turned halfway across the yard, his eyes searching for her again. Biting her lip and suppressing a giggle she didn't close the door until he had disappeared out the gate, the heavy wood closing between them. Falling back into the wall she wiggled gleefully and brought both hands to her face, giggling into the material. It wasn't until the smell of ginger filled her senses again did she realize she was still wearing his suit jacket. Halfway turned to the door she stopped indecisively, lifting the cuff to her nose again. _I can always give it back to him tomorrow… Yeah, that sounds like a better idea._

Walking off in a daze she headed to her bedroom to change. _Oh I definitely like kissing that man._

x

Tucking Kenji into bed Kenshin smiled at the sleepy sounds of protest he gave, his son snuggling into the blankets and hugging his teddy bear to his chest.

"We see Mommy 'morrow?" More than half asleep the words whispered from his mouth, his bleary eyes trying to meet those of his father's and missing the wide-eyed expression and parted lips that spoke of Kenshin's shock. Silence reigned for so long blue-violet eyes drifted close, his breathing slowing even further towards sleep. Clearing his throat softly Kenshin half squeaked a reply, keeping his voice low incase he had already fallen into unconsciousness.

"See w-who, Kenji-chan?"

"... Kao-u-san... we see 'morrow?"

Swallowing thickly, unsure if relief, disappointment, or fear was the dominate emotion in his heart, he fussed a little more with the blankets.

"That's right... we're gonna see Kaoru-san tomorrow."

"Yatta..."

Turning at the door to flip off the light he watched his son breathe deeply in sleep, his thoughts chaotic in his mind. _She has become more than just 'Kaoru-san' hasn't she... more than that to both of us._


	7. Birthday Wishes

Disclaimer: I don't own cute red-heads… and my niece doesn't count… XD

**Chapter 7: Birthday Wishes**

Kaoru stretched up to her tiptoes, her hand reaching for a box shoved way in the back on the top shelf of her closet. Biting her lip and grunting as her fingers knocked against the edge she fell back with a huff of exasperation.

"Well, I definitely am tired of being short."

Grinning at the giggles of the child sitting on the bed behind her she turned on him with a mock pout.

"Who do you think you're laughing at, little man? Huh?" Darting over to him she wiggled her fingers gently across the sides of his stomach, his laughter bursting free in earnest. "You have no room to talk, shorty." Pulling up his shirt she blew a raspberry on his skin, his little hands batting against her head, his feet kicking. He was laughing so hard he shrieked, his voice reaching a range that humans couldn't hear without hurting themselves. Deciding she had better let him catch his breath she dropped down on the bed beside him, lying out flat on her back with an exaggerated sigh. Feeling the bed bounce she braced herself for impact as he threw himself sideways on her own stomach.

"No time to rest, Kaoru-san. You said train today."

"I sure did, didn't I?" Rubbing a hand over his head she grinned down at the boy, loving the day she had spent with him. Having fulfilled her promise to have him over for an evening Kenshin had dropped him off the day before, early in the morning, instead of leaving him at the day care center. Both having decided against any large shows of affection in front of the boy he had kissed her softly on the cheek when Kenji wasn't looking. Saying goodbye to his son Kenshin had solemnly promised not to be back until after work the next day so Kenji need not worry about sharing Kaoru-san. Which was still a few hours or so away.

The whole day before had been just them and Kaoru was beginning to understand how it could be a full time job all its own. He was demanding, if not a darling, and persistently worked to keep her full attention. Not that he had to work too hard to get it. She was just as mesmerized by him as he was by her. And although she wouldn't admit it to Kenshin, she had spoiled him shamelessly.

Taking him to wherever his little heart desired they had ate fast food and ice cream; watched a new movie in theaters; bugged Misao after her classes were over; bought obscene amounts of coloring books and paper for drawing. He seemed to have a passion for drawing and loved to show off every scrap of doodles he did… except for that tricky one he still had hidden away. Then they had attempted to make supper, but it turned out to be such a big mess that with a giggle and a push of the button she had ordered take out. As the evening continued to progress and it was getting time for bed he had tiredly asked if he could stay with her in her room, and remembering his wish to do just that a few weeks before, she had quietly assented. Though she didn't really know how well she was going to sleep knowing she was sharing the bed with a four-year-old.

It was much the same as she remembered sleeping with her father, however, only their positions were reversed. Lying awake long after the boy had fallen into the land of dreams she had watched him. With his teddy bear hugged into his little chest and his red hair falling into his relaxed face, she had been so full of shaky emotion that she wanted nothing more than to press him into her chest like he was her teddy bear. The next morning he was still so sleepy and tired that he had allowed her to move him so she could cuddle. With a trembling lip and shaky fingers she had combed his fine hair away from his forehead and kissed him softly until wakefulness had claimed him fully.

Which, in turn, had led them up to their current predicament. Kaoru had classes this afternoon and with Kenji still under her care she had asked him if he wouldn't mind watching. He, however, had a different idea. He wanted to learn. So with a smile of pride, Kaoru had remembered the old pair of training clothes her father had given to her when she was young. Kenji was surely the size she was then, as she had been a rather scrawny child, and would have no problem fitting into the outfit. Of course, she had to dig it out first.

"Come on, Kaoru-san. They be here soon." Jumping up and down on her stomach he burst back into laughter when all the air huffed out of her lungs.

"Ok, ok." Sitting back up she frowned at the closet and the box she could just barely see peeking out at her from the very back. Eyes scanning the rest of the room they landed on the chair of her vanity and she smiled. _Should have just done that in the first place. Baka._

The wooden seat squeaked ominously when she put her full weight on it and she had to balance herself against the shelf when it shifted beneath her. Thinking she was probably going to break her neck, she reached out a hand and grabbed the infernal box and yanked. Clutching it to her she jumped down to the floor with a loud bang and stared at her prize in triumph.

"Aha." Kenji jumped off the bed as well, imitating the loud noise she had made, and bounced over to her, excitement written plainly across his face.

"Open it, open it! Come on, Kaoru-san! I wanna be samurai like you!"

Giggling at his enthusiasm she set the box down on the floor and knelt next to it, opening the lid and peering down at old memories. There was the music box her father had given to her that didn't work anymore; the toy samurai she had received for her eighth birthday; her old teddy bear; a wooden box with her rock collection inside; and on the very bottom, only slightly dusty and wrinkled, her very first set of training gear. Carefully unearthing them Kaoru shook out the gi first, the light yellow coloring even lighter than she remembered from the multiple washings it had underwent throughout her own childhood. The hakama were slightly grayish now, at one time being a very stunning brown, multi-sized loops of color dividing it at the bottom with shots of blue. She even found her old tabi rolled up into the pant-leg, their dark colored material a perfect fit on the little boy.

"Well, now, they're a little worn and dusty, but I'm sure if I washed them up a bit they could work for now. At least until I can find another pair for you."

"No time for wash, Kaoru-san. Me wear now. Today train, not tomorrow."

Chuckling in amusement Kaoru bundled them all to her chest. "Ok, but you're at least going to let me beat the dust out of them. No pupil of mine is going to be sneezing while I'm the master."

Very carefully shaking them off on the edge of the engawa Kaoru cleaned them up as best she could in the limited amount of time that she had. With only a half hour left to get ready she needed to get the boy dressed so she could as well. Hurrying them both back inside Kaoru hesitated when he started to pull off his own clothes. Not used to helping anybody else dress, let alone a small child, she grinned and shook it off when he bounced on his heels excitedly.

Softly instructing him on the proper way of putting them on she wrapped him in the gi first, then quickly helped situate the hakama. It was a minor struggle to get it tied altogether without everything falling apart, but when they finally managed she stepped back and smiled at the sight he made. The sleeves were slightly too long, hanging a little ways passed his elbows, but they would do. All in all he looked just like a tiny samurai in training.

"Now all you need is a topknot and a bokken and you'll fit right in."

"What's a topknot?"

Laughing Kaoru swung him up into her arms and sat him back down on the chair. "Well, it keeps all of your hair out of your face while you're training, that way you can see." Running a hand through his hair she smiled at the thoughtful look on his face. "Would you like me to try and tie yours up?"

"Like Daddy's?"

"Kinda, only a little higher than that. Up here." Placing a hand on his head to demonstrate she watched him think it over then nod.

"Like yours."

"Yep."

"Ok."

Finding a small tie that wouldn't tangle in his hair she gently combed her fingers through the threads, working them all up to a tail and securing it, a soft question over his comfort confirming her finished product. Smaller hairs hung down in his face, much the way Kenshin's hair was wont to do, and Kaoru's heart tugged again like it had that morning. The child was really so beautiful and loving and innocent. She loved his smiles and laughter; his tiny hands gripping hers; his stubborn nature, all stemming once again from another red-head she knew. Vaguely she wondered if Kenshin had been like this as a child. The thought was amusing and comforting and in another way exciting. Like she was learning more about the adult by loving the child.

It wasn't long before her students started to show, Yahiko being the first and foremost as tended to be his habit after she started allowing him to teach the younger classes. His presence prompted a few, edited, exchanged words and Kaoru could feel Kenji's wide eyes on them when she finally slapped the boy upside the head and sent him into the dojo. Turning with a grin to her tiny samurai she shrugged her shoulders and led him in after.

With the beginning of her duties as the sensei she quietly brought Kenji to the front of the class with her, smiling softly at his apparent shyness with so many eyes directed at the both of them. Encouraging him to step up next to her she placed a reassuring hand between his shoulder blades and introduced him to the others.

"Boys, and girls," she added with a smile at her four female students. "This young man will be joining us today in our lessons." Leveling them all with a glare she finished, "Be nice." Bending down level with him she tucked a strand of hair out of his eyes and directed him to a setting down the line. "Kenji-chan, will you go stand by Yahiko-kun, please?"

Nodding with a serious jerk of his head he walked quickly to where she had pointed, ducking his head at the stares he was receiving. Turning around in the spot he was to wait in he looked up at the dark-headed teenager that Kaoru had talked to earlier. Yahiko grinned companionably down at his upturned face but blinked in sudden confusion when the boy frowned back at him, his blue-violet eyes narrowing in challenge. Another boy on the other side of him chuckled and Yahiko looked up in time to shrug his shoulders before Kaoru was calling them to attention.

Lessons began where their last had left off, Kaoru testing them on how well they were performing in their separate levels of training. Occasionally commenting, arguing, and rebuking she weaved her way through her students until she was satisfied that they were all working on what she had asked them to. Making her way with a smile to her youngest student, his form standing slightly rejected near the outer wall, she picked out the smallest bokken she had and knelt down next to him.

"I guess we did forget something, didn't we little man? A samurai can't fight without his sword." Handing it to him she watched his eyes light up and the grin he directed her way was full of wonder and delight. Automatically reacting to the look she kissed him softly on the forehead then stood to situate herself behind him, teaching him how to hold the wooden sword.

Across the room one of the older girls leaned over to whisper questioningly to Yahiko. "Did Kaoru-sensei adopt a child or something? She seems to be offly fond of the boy."

Creasing his brows in thought, his concentration shattered for the moment, he turned to look at the pair. There was something familiar about his hair and eyes that he couldn't quite put a finger on. "I don't know. Surely she would have said something if she had." _At least to me._

"Well, Kaoru-sensei has never babied a student, that's for sure, no matter how young he is. She's just being really… motherly toward him." Shrugging her shoulders she went back to perfecting the kata she was working on, leaving Yahiko to contemplate the situation.

An hour later Kaoru was pulled away to help a group of the other students out with a move they were arguing over, her patient words unweaving their problem and teaching it to them the right way. With Kenji left alone near the door, his little arms swinging the bokken in imitation of the way she had taught him, Yahiko dropped his own to his side and wandered over.

"Hey, little guy, you doing ok over here?"

That small frown from earlier tugged his lips downward again and the boy nodded his head before promptly turning his back to him.

"Uh…" Confused with why this kid seemed to not like him Yahiko swiveled around so that he was in front of him once more. "I didn't catch your name. I'm Yahiko."

"Kenji." Petulantly remembering his manners he gave his name back.

"Well, Kenji-kun, you seem to be a tough little kid. Normally Kaoru-sensei doesn't allow anyone under the age of seven to enter into training. You must have made an impression."

Blue-violet irises darted up to him, the frown disappearing momentarily at the compliment. "That's 'cause I samurai like Kaoru-san. Are you samurai, too?"

Smiling as the kid relaxed Yahiko knelt down and nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Not like Kaoru-san. She better." Laughing in amusement Yahiko tugged the boy's hair.

"Not yet, but I will be someday." Watching him process the thought Yahiko looked over his hair another time, a slow idea forming. "So did Kaoru-sensei take you in too?"

The frown reappeared. "She take you in?"

"Yeah she kinda did. Gave me a place to stay for awhile and helped me get back on my feet. Taught me how to live my life instead of making it through it." Chuckling at his loose tongue he shrugged his shoulders again. "But you wouldn't understand that yet."

The frown trembled slightly on his mouth. "She love you like a mommy?"

"Yeah well…" Uncomfortable with the question he eyed Kenji's expression. "…more like… a big sister."

A large smile spread across the boy's face and he reached out to imitate what Yahiko had done earlier, pulling on a lock of dark hair. "Good. Because Kaoru-san is my mommy." A worried expression took over his features when Yahiko's eyes widened in shock. Leaning forward quickly Kenji whispered in an urgent voice. "But you can't tell her yet, she don't know."

"She doesn't know?" Scandalized by the thought he shot a glance over his shoulder at Kaoru's form.

"No… she has to love my daddy first. Then she be Mommy." Impressed with his own reasoning Kenji held out both hands then brought them together for emphasis, grinning over his joined fingers.

Blinking, Yahiko had a sudden vision of a larger red-head at the hospital almost a month earlier. With a harmless smile and unthreatening violet eyes he had blocked his way from getting into her room. Doctor's orders. So why had he been allowed in there? Now it was becoming clearer. Were they lovers? Raising an eyebrow he turned back to look at Kaoru's striding form coming their way. Kaoru had a lover? The thought was kind of… disturbing. But wait, the boy said she had to love his daddy first. Which meant that he wasn't so sure that she did yet. Which meant that they probably were not lovers. Sighing in relief, though only because the thought was strange, Yahiko grinned at his sensei.

"Are you corrupting my boy, Yahiko-chan?"

Winking at Kenji, Yahiko stood up and crossed his arms. "What's it to ya, ugly?"

Growling, Kaoru smacked him in the head. "Don't you even teach him any of your bad habits. He actually talks to me with some kind of respect, unlike you." Lifting her chin in authority she crossed her arms and froze him with a glare. "Now get out there and show them the next set." Keeping a hold of a smile as he face faulted, she had to bite her tongue when he began to stutter.

"R-really?"

"Yeah really. Now get up there before I change my mind."

Tripping over his feet he turned at the last second and bowed formally before her. "Thank you so much, Kaoru-sensei."

Looking to Kenji with a grin she uncrossed her arms and ruffled his bangs. "Alright, what do you say we get you started then?"

x

Kaoru smiled when a knock echoed through the house from the front door, only slightly disappointed that she was going to have to give up the boy now. It was a conflicting feeling because she really wanted to see Kenshin too, even if it meant he was coming to pick up his son. However, she had enjoyed having the boy all to herself and getting the chance to love him like a mother would. It was upsetting not being able to do that all the time.

Kenji, on the other hand, was full of excitement, meeting his dad at the door and immediately bursting forth with information about what they had done, what he had learned, and everything else he could think of that had happened between then and yesterday morning. Kenshin merely laughed, eyeing the boy's outfit with a lift of his brow. Unwilling to give up his new training clothes Kenji had run around her house for the rest of the afternoon with it and his bokken.

Leaning comfortably against the doorjamb Kaoru watched the both of them, smiling softly at the boy's enthusiasm. At Kenshin's curious look she grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"I had classes this afternoon and Kenji did not want to be left out. So I found him a set of my old training gear."

Looking back to his son his smile turned softer, somehow delighted by the idea that he was wearing something that was undoubtedly important to her. They were so small and he couldn't quite help himself from imagining a smaller version of Kaoru running around that same house. _I bet she was a handful. _Sitting Kenji down he ruffled his hair and directed him into the hallway.

"Will you do me a favor, Kenji-chan, and grab your things? Then we can take Kaoru-san out for supper."

Frowning as the boy took off down the hall Kaoru pursed her lips. "I thought you were taking me out to supper tomorrow."

Kenshin grinned, carefully stepping his way to her and watching with satisfaction as she unknowingly allowed him to back her into the wall. Reaching up a hand he brushed it gently over her face. "I am." Tilting back her chin he blocked her escape with his other arm. "Tonight, Kenji is going with us. Tomorrow…" Letting his words trail off he grazed a soft kiss over her lips.

"But…" Talking between his short caresses she tried to focus her thoughts around his sweet touch. "…I don't like you spending money on me."

Surprised laughter lit his face and he pulled back to look at her narrowed gaze. "Kaoru… I'm not buying you a car. I'm taking you out to dinner. Besides, I like being able to spoil you." Cupping her chin in both hands he smiled down at her.

Frown twitching at the corners of her lips she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. "You know, if you really wanted to spoil me, you could just _make _me dinner tomorrow night." Grinning at his lifted eyebrows she playfully rubbed her nose against his. "You cook better than any restaurant in town does, and…" Pulling one hand back she wiggled a finger in his face. "… we don't have to worry about people staring."

His smile widened. Kaoru did not like being the center of everyone's attention. She liked a little more privacy than that. Which was just fine with him. "Hmm… I think I like this idea. Not only do I get you all to myself, I can hand feed you as well." Smirking as her eyebrows shot up, he nodded. "Then we can watch a couple of movies, during which I will massage out all of these terrible kinks in your shoulders." Fingers rubbing pointedly at her knotted back he teasingly snuggled his head into her neck when her eyelids slid half-closed, a low thrum of appreciation rubbing against the back of her throat. "Then we can spend the rest of our evening necking on the couch."

"Kenshin!" Voice wavering between amusement and disapproval she shook her head at his innocent grin. "Mou! You'd think you were a hormone ridden teenager instead of a mature business man."

"But I have to be that all day at work." Pouting, he whined at her pitifully. "Why would I want to come home and be like that?"

Giggling, she sighed in exaggerated exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I have a few ideas."

"Only a few?" Her grin was more mischievous this time and he answered the challenge with a kiss. Seconds later the sound of small feet pounding their way back down the hall hit her ears and Kaoru reluctantly pushed against Kenshin's chest, her laughter ringing out softly when he protested. "Those ideas are going to have to wait."

x

"Come on, Kaoru-san. We surprise Daddy."

Kaoru smiled affectionately and allowed the little boy to half drag her towards the building his father owned. In early November the air was chilly but the sun was bright and Kaoru was enjoying the rejuvenating crispness that bit lightly at her cheeks and hands. Misao laughed behind her, her own hands full with a basket and her steps only slightly awkward as she tried to keep up. Today they were going to bombard their guys with a lunch that Kenji had specifically picked out, because today was Kenji's birthday.

After Kenshin had dropped him off that morning, in a slightly subdued manner with only an absent kiss left on her cheek, Kenji had been a buzz of energy. But when Kaoru had asked him what he wanted most for his birthday, anything at all, he had replied in a dignified manner that he wanted to have lunch with his daddy. When quietly asked if that was all Kenji had nodded his little head and explained as best he could. "Daddy not happy on last birfday. We make him happy today." Kaoru had been touched by the boy's wish to make his father happy but still slightly worried over why Kenshin wouldn't have been the year before. Especially since he hadn't seemed all that cheerful that morning either, or over the past week for that matter.

During the last couple of months Kenshin had been nothing but happy and that Kaoru could tell meant that there could be no mistake in it. They spent most of their time together and once a week Kenji stayed over at her house after which they would go out to eat. Then at the end of the week Kenshin would take Kaoru out alone, where either Yahiko or Misao would watch Kenji, and then the weekend would be all three of them. Sometimes Misao and Aoshi would go with them as a double date, other times Yahiko would come over and help train Kenji on his off time. To be truthful, Kaoru had never been happier herself.

However, the closer they came to Kenji's birthday the more subdued and withdrawn Kenshin became and it was really starting to worry Kaoru. She wanted him to share what was bothering him but every time she asked he would merely smile and shake his head. Afterwards his efforts to reassure her would redouble for about ten minutes and then he would drift back off into thought. Still new to their more intimate relationship Kaoru had first thought that it was her own fault, that Kenshin had soon become tired of her presence. Yet, his actions showed no coldness towards her and if she analyzed every aspect of their time together his hold on her was actually slightly desperate. It was as if he was afraid she was going to run away or something silly. Still, nothing could be gleaned from him and the more closed mouth he became the tighter her anxiety and anger clenched. As a result, today she was determined. He was either going to talk to her or she was going to keep him so occupied he wouldn't remember to be sad. Or she might just fall back on her full proof plan and beat it out of him.

Pushing through the double doors into the lobby Kaoru looked around the inside of it fondly, remembering their first date and how nervous she had been. Grinning down at the boy still tugging on her hand she walked to the receptionist's desk and smiled politely at the woman behind it.

"May I help you, Ma'am?"

"Yes. We were actually hoping you could tell us if Himura-san had any plans during his lunch hour today?"

Kaoru's smile widened in amusement when the woman blinked incoherently at her, her own amazement that just some nobody off the street would waltz into the building and ask for the owner plastered all over her face.

"Ma'am… I'm really not allowed to give out that information… even if I did know for sure."

"Would you be able to call up and ask someone that would know? You see…" Bending down she hoisted the little boy into her arms, holding him steady as he leaned forward eagerly to look over the desk. "… today is his son's birthday and the little man would like nothing more than to have lunch with his father." An instinctive smile lit the woman's face as she looked to the child but Kaoru did not miss the contemplative gleam that had entered her eyes as well. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the nice lady, sweetheart?"

"Himura Kenji." Bending his upper half politely he adopted a serious manner that made all three of the adults hold in their amusement.

"And how old are you today?"

"I'm five." Holding up his hand he spread his fingers wide for emphasis.

The woman hesitated only a second more as she looked at the unmistakable traits he shared with her boss before picking up a phone and punching in a couple of numbers. "Yes, is Himura-san still in his office? No? Did he have a meeting? Really? Oh but… Yes… alright." She sounded rather perplexed when she hung the phone back up and Kaoru's stomach dropped a little. "Apparently Himura-san is not in his office and is not to be disturbed on his lunch hour. She didn't say where he went, but…"

Kaoru frowned, worried about missing him, then looked to Misao quickly when she stepped up beside her, the little woman's presence almost forgotten for a second since she was being so quiet. "How about Shinomori-san? If Himura-san is occupied then he would be handling any of the issues, right? Maybe he would know."

"And who should I say is asking?"

"Makimachi Misao… he'll know." Misao winked at Kaoru and giggled, reaching over to tickle the little boy on his stomach just to include him in the joke.

This time yielded much more promising results, the receptionist showing them straight to the elevators and past security. The ride up was long and Kaoru could only remember her first date with Kenshin, seemingly unable to stop herself from comparing that eager will of his to please to what he had been like that week. A harsh ball formed in her gut and she wondered for only a brief moment if coming here wasn't a mistake. Especially since everyone seemed to be warned against disturbing him during this period.

In her arms Kenji bounced excitedly, his face lit up as he echoed Misao's counting of the floors as they went passed. No, today was Kenji's day and if he wanted to have lunch with his father then that was what they were going to do.

It wasn't a surprise that Shinomori-san met them at the elevators, a small smile on his face for Misao when she skipped forward to greet him. Instantly his hands took the basket of food from her, carrying it forward down the hall as he beckoned them to follow. In his office, a section of the floor that was shared with Himura's, he placed the load on his desk and gestured for them to sit down. Kenji's form jumped forward as soon as Kaoru let him go, his small arms wrapping around the tall man's leg for a second as he offered his own greeting. Respectfully returning the salutation Aoshi dutifully wished the boy a happy birthday before turning to Kaoru, a furrow of regret on his brow.

"I'm afraid that this might not have been the best of ideas, however, Kamiya-san. Himura-san has asked for no interruptions and is not a very… pleasant person when disobeyed. So it would not be permissible to ask anyone to locate him for you."

Frowning, Kaoru blinked in thought before swallowing. "Do **you **have any idea where he is?"

Sighing, he lifted his hand in answer, one finger pointing up. "But I would advise against speaking with him, Kamiya-san. He cares for you, but this matter is very… personal, and painful." When anger hardened her blue eyes in denial he dropped a hand on the boy's head and leaned forward, his voice softer. "You will only hurt the both of you if you pressure him."

Kaoru's eyes dropped to her lap. "It already hurts, Shinomori-san." Taking a steadying breath she stood and smiled. "And I am afraid I promised Kenji-chan a date with his father. You'll watch him for me won't you?"

Aoshi nodded, but his eyes were exasperated. After Kaoru exited the room Misao circled the desk herself. "You don't know my Kaoru very well. She cannot sit back and watch others suffer when she knows that she can help. Especially someone she cares about."

"Yes… but how well can she handle a sharp tongue?"

Misao giggled. "Well, lets just say patience isn't her strongest asset in that area."

Kaoru bit her lip as she stared down the long hallway, her eyes searching left and right for some clue as to which way she needed to go. It hadn't taken her long to get lost. Last time she had blindly followed Kenshin to the metal door, not to mention it had been pretty dark. _Argh… I have no clue where I'm going._

"Miss? Miss, what are you doing up here?"

Jumping, Kaoru turned toward a lady in a business suit, her fingers reaching up to grip her coat zipper nervously, feeling slightly out of place in her casual clothing. "Umm… well… I was looking for the exit… to the roof. Would you be able to show me where…?"

"I'm afraid that is impossible. No one is allowed up there. Besides, you have no identification. You are not even supposed to be on this floor. Who let you up here?"

"Shinomori-san…"

"Then you should be with him not wandering the floor." Her brisk voice kept cutting her off, her delicate hands pushing her back down the hall she had come from, and Kaoru was beginning to feel her anger rise. Stepping away from her abruptly Kaoru frowned irritably at the woman.

"I am looking for Himura-san. Shinomori-san knows this and has allowed it. Now if you will be so kind as to direct me to the roof I will not be wandering the floor any longer."

Red lips parted as the woman stared at her in shock before her teeth clenched and she fisted a hand on her hip. "Himura-san is not accepting visitors or social calls. He is to be undisturbed and I will not bend this rule by allowing the first sloppily dressed hussy who waltzes in here to order me around."

Kaoru felt her cheeks flush with indignation and she took a step forward to retaliate but before she could part her lips and flay the woman into the ground a hand wrapped gently around her arm.

"Ah, Kamiya-san, it is nice to see you again."

Kaoru turned toward the soft voice and found herself looking into a pair of familiar dark eyes. "Ishijima-san!" A smile pulled at her lips and she bowed in turn. "It's very nice to see you again."

"And what has brought your pleasing company here, may I ask?"

"Oh… well, today is Kenji-chan's birthday. He wanted to have lunch with his father."

Ishijima's smile widened. "Well now, what a sweet child he is. And you were just looking for the young man, weren't you?"

"Yes," Blue eyes darted a look at the other woman. "I seem to be a little lost. Could you show me the way to the roof? The last time I was here Himura-san didn't really give me the chance to catch my bearings." She smiled warmly at the older man's twinkling eyes and was slightly triumphant when he turned to the other woman.

"Kimiko-san! You have not met our lovely Kamiya-san, have you? This young lady is Himura-san's koishii. A good choice, ne?"

Kimiko looked her over warily, the anger that was present in her eyes not leaving. "Yeah."

"Well, if you will excuse us I will show Kamiya-san to the roof. We don't want to keep Kenji-chan waiting too long."

"But sir…" Ishijima stopped at her protest and lifted an eyebrow, Kaoru's form stiffening in frustration. "Himura-san said…"

"I know very well what Himura-san said. Sometimes, girl, you have to protest when you know that it's wrong."

"And how do you know that she is any different than that witch he married?"

Kaoru's eyes widened alarmingly, too shocked by this woman's blatant malice towards Kenshin's first wife to take offense to the implied insult. Ishijima's stance hardened, his dark eyes taking in Kaoru's reaction before stepping back toward Kimiko, his voice dropping to a firm whisper.

"You have overstepped your bounds, Kimiko-san. Feel lucky that I will no be reporting this to your boss, but only because you know what consequences that would spell out for you."

Kaoru watched fear spring to life in the other woman's eyes and felt a small amount of pity for her. Subdued now, and still puzzled over Kimiko's outburst, she followed the man when he beckoned, allowing him to lead her down the hallways to her destination. When they arrived at the metal door he opened it for her politely and smiled with encouragement plain in his gaze. Pausing, a question tickling her mind, she took a deep breath and called for him to wait.

"Ishijima-san… may I ask you something?"

The smile on his face softened and he sighed in a resigned manner. "About Himura-san's first wife?"

"Yes, I… well, Kenshin does not speak of her, and when the subject is even partially brought up he seems… distant. I had assumed that since Kenji does not know of her that she has passed away. However… I am beginning to suspect otherwise."

"You suspect correctly, Kamiya-san. Unfortunately I cannot explain what has happened between them because I myself do not know the truth. Like everyone else here I have my assumptions, but you, dear lady, do not need to be tainted by such opinions. The only one that matters is his and you deserve to hear it from him."

Kaoru smiled wryly. "I was afraid you would say that. Kenshin does not like talking about himself much."

"But you have done much for the young man. More than you know. You are better qualified to teach him differently than the rest of us." Kaoru grinned and blushed at his words, turning towards the steps in preparation of climbing them. "You should know though, Kamiya-san," Ishijima smiled at her clear gaze. "that I stick by my original observation. You are a much better match for him… and you are nothing like her."

Kaoru watched the door clang shut with a swelling of an unknown emotion in her chest. She was nervous yet grateful for his words, because she really didn't know what she was going to find at the top of those stairs. Everyone seemed so afraid of Kenshin, of what he would do if he was disturbed. Did she really want to find out first hand? Her fingers clenched on the railing, knuckles white against the bone. If she couldn't handle him in this kind of situation then she didn't really deserve to be with him. They were a couple now, and if their relationship was going to progress any further, if her emotions towards him were true, then they would have to survive. They couldn't keep avoiding it.

x

Kenshin fisted his hands on the concrete ledge, his weight leaning on the tight ball of skin and bone, the rough texture of the surface biting harshly into his flesh. Cold wind whipped into his face, slapping the ends of his bangs into his cheeks like a rain of stinging needles. Hard, golden irises stared blindly out into the distance, a detached rage, well-known and used, darkening his thoughts.

It shouldn't have mattered anymore, he shouldn't care. It wasn't, however, the fact that she had lied to him, left him, made him believe that she had loved him beyond reason. No. What angered him was his own naïve belief that she had been telling the truth. He had shared so much with her, given her everything, even when he really didn't have it to give. He had sacrificed his own wants and desires to make her happy, to make sure that she was comfortable and that she would stay with him. He felt betrayed, naturally, but he also felt sickened. How could he let himself be ensnared in her trap so easily? How had he not seen everything that had led up to that moment when she had left exactly five years ago today?

This awful feeling of betrayal was digging into him, making him doubt himself again; making him doubt **her**. It was unfair. So very unfair of him to even think Kaoru was capable of going through such lengths. Yet, his mind was not quite able to give up the scenario and it made him feel guilty. Even if she wouldn't trick him, though, it did not mean that she wouldn't leave him. What if she tired of him? What if she found out that this relationship was not what she wanted? Things like that happened daily. Not everybody that simply dated ended up with that happily ever after. Just because she was enjoying his company now did not mean she would later.

He hated that he doubted her, hated his own fear, and it was just one more thing that he blamed on that evil woman.

Metal clanged abruptly behind him and he lost the train of his thought, anger rising to the surface quick and hot at the interruption. "I am not to be disturbed."

Kaoru paused at the harsh words, his voice strong and deep and nothing like the Kenshin she knew and loved. Swallowing against the lump in her throat she wiped her sweaty palms on the hips of her pants before taking a tentative step forward. Halfway across the roof, the rigid form of his back giving her direction, her shoes crunched on loose gravel and she jumped when he twisted towards her in one sharp motion.

Amber eyes stared back at her, the color nothing like what she had ever seen before. They were not the warm, love-filled swirl of affection she glimpsed when he kissed her, but indifferent and solid like stone. They were so painful to see, and she abruptly understood why others feared him.

His partially opened mouth closed slowly, the unmistakable reprimand he wanted to speak slipping back down his throat and he instead studied her as she studied him. She watched him weigh her intentions and it made her feel like a student again, standing off with a master in battle. The air was heavy with defensive motives.

"What are you doing here?" His body jerked back toward the ledge as he spoke and his voice was short, hardly affectionate. Behind his safe barrier of hair Kenshin winced, his teeth grinding as he expected her to flee.

Good God what was she doing there? Kenji was the obvious answer but that would only side-track the conversation. Building up her courage she stepped forward again. "I… thought we could talk." Stopping next to him she stared down at her hands, studying his form out of the corner of her eye.

"I don't feel like talking." _That's why I asked to be left alone. I don't want to have this conversation. Not now. I'm too irritated. I don't want to hurt you._

"But…" Lifting her eyes she searched the glimpses of his face through wind and hair. "if you don't talk we can't communicate very well, ne?"

Closing his eyes he turned his head further away from her. "And what do you want to talk about?" The waver in his voice strengthened her own and she placed a hand lightly on his back.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

Smiling, Kaoru spoke what she had wanted to all week. "Liar."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Not if you don't tell me." Her other hand joined her first, her palm sliding softly over the chest of his suit jacket and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. Trying to get closer to him physically to coerce him into letting her closer emotionally she jumped back when he jerked away from her.

"You wouldn't understand because nobody has ever hated you! Nobody has ever betrayed you!" Kaoru backed up, her hands balled into her chest and her eyes wide in her face. Never before had she seen Kenshin so angry and shock overrode her reactions again, forcing her only to watch, wait and listen. "You attract people to you like a beacon and they love and adore you for your attention alone! You couldn't comprehend what it feels like to be cheated! To be hurt by someone close to you! You don't _want _to know what that is like!" Tears of frustration gathered at the corners of his eyes and one of his hands lifted as if to touch her. Sapphire irises darted briefly toward his outstretched fingers and she bit her lip, indecisive of his intentions. "I don't want you to understand."

Brows furrowing it was her turn to jerk back when he reached for her, her heart trembling at the hurt that entered his eyes. "Then what do you want? For me to be ignorant? For me to sit back and say nothing, do nothing, when I know that you are hurting? I feel like the only person that doesn't know, Kenshin." Abruptly looking away she laughed humorlessly. "Except Kenji… he wouldn't know either."

"Kenji doesn't need to know." _The only mother he will ever have, ever know, is you._

"No, I understand that Kenshin, but why me as well? Why won't you let me know?"

Kenshin felt fear dig at his mind, afraid that if she knew her perception of him would change. Turning his back to her he leaned against the ledge once more. "Because I am ashamed."

"Ashamed of what, Kenshin?" Kaoru stayed where she was, letting him lean on his own strength as she had to lean on hers. A part of her mind whispered to be careful, cautious, because she knew that he was not aware of her knowledge of their subject. Not yet. "What is it?" Gently encouraging when he didn't speak, she looked on with sad eyes when his body slumped forward in defeat.

Kenshin sighed, his head hanging low into his chest. Maybe she needed to know. Maybe she had a right to know. It was just so hard to admit such a weakness. Wondering where to begin, he settled on the easiest way to explain. "There is a reason that Kenji does not know of his mother. Besides my own unwillingness to mention her." Grimacing he raked a hand through his hair, a deep breath pulling at his lungs. "She… we were married not half a year after the business took off. I thought that she loved me. No, I was naïve enough to trust that it was not money that motivated her. I was happy believing that she was happy with me and when we found out that she was pregnant I figured I had everything anyone could ever ask for." A snort disturbed the air and his jaw clenched.

"A few months before Kenji was due the business fell apart. Every bit of money I had went into keeping it alive and in the black. I was prepared to make the sacrifices that meant for my personal life. I knew I did not need more than what I had. Which I had thought was the support of my wife and the promise of the family she carried. Unfortunately my thoughts were completely one sided. Tomoe," His teeth ground over her name. "was not prepared to sacrifice the life that she wanted. She was used to dinner parties and spontaneous trips out of the country; eating out every night and buying new clothes every week. When she learned that we could no longer afford any of those things, maybe indefinitely, she was less than happy."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he thought about those months, of how she had treated him. There had been such disgust on her face when she had looked at him. It had confused him at first, and in desperation he had put it down to her hormonal imbalance because of the pregnancy. Such an excuse had soon proven itself to be false. "By the time she went into labor she was angry enough to tell the doctors that she did not want me to be there. I could not object, especially when they were forced to ask me to leave because of her… screaming. It didn't matter. I was bitter by then as well and felt no desire to support her. I only wanted to see my child.

"When… when they brought him out to clean him they let me hold him for the first time and I remember…" His voice broke slightly and Kaoru bit her lip to keep from moving. "actually feeling surprised that he was even mine. As soon as I could see, though, as soon as I _knew_, I promised myself that she would never take him from me. He was mine." Anger entered his voice again, his figure stiff, fists clenched. "That fear was as empty as every other feeling we shared. She left, that night, without holding Kenji once, without telling anyone. Not the doctors, not the nurses, and not me. And three years later I was forced to explain to a child that the reason he did not have a mother like everyone else was not because of him." Taking a shaky breath to calm his anger he paused in the stillness, realizing that Kaoru had not yet spoken, had not even moved. What did she think of him now, he wondered? Did she think him heartless; ignorant; flawed? Would she side with that woman? Swallowing thickly he chanced a look at her over his shoulder and was surprised when he was met with sapphire irises that were a match for his own. _It's worse than I thought._

"She…" Her voice shuddered and her chest heaved once. "she left you, left Kenji like… that?" Brows furrowing in hard contemplation, Kenshin nodded his head silently. "That bitch! Did she even have a heart? Did she even care about her own child? About you?" Kenshin looked at her warily, slightly shocked to hear such language out of her. Though the anger, he guessed, he should have expected. She was such a beautiful soul. "And what about all of this makes you feel ashamed, anyway?" One finger poked him harshly in the chest, her voice rising in indignation. "She's the one who lied!"

Anger sparking back to life one hand shot out to his side in emphasis, swiping harshly through the air. "And I believed her! I believed every word! I gave her everything she wanted! I am ashamed because I was fooled so easily! Because I failed to give Kenji the mother he deserved to have from the beginning!"

Jaw tightening Kaoru held her ground. "And how is that your fault? Lies are spoken and swallowed by good people every day. You were the one who was wronged in this Kenshin. She's the one who should feel ashamed." Taking a deep breath she crossed her arms, her next statement steady. "And Kenji truly has nothing to do with it."

Kenshin's muscles twitched, the glare that stiffened his face harsh and full of denial. "Kenji is all I have had to cling to. How can you say he had nothing to do with it? He is everything to me."

Kaoru relaxed with a sigh, her head shaking slightly. Slowly her hand reached for his face, her palm cupping his cheek. "And you have been everything to him, Kenshin. You are a wonderful father, and because of you he is a wonderful little boy. Kenji has never known true sorrow because of your love for him." Smiling as he relaxed she brought up her other hand. "You are a better parent to him than many have with two. He has not suffered from this, only you have. You take too much on yourself, Kenshin."

Amber irises searched hers for several long seconds before he surprised her, his arms wrapping swiftly around her torso and yanking her into his chest. Fine quivers worked up his body and Kaoru frowned as he buried his face in her hair, the position much like the one they had shared the first time they had been on the roof. Circling her arms around his neck she calmly let herself fall into a patient affection, her fingers playing with his hair as she waited.

"It _angers _me, koishii. I can't seem to let it go." Kaoru's frown deepened, her mouth opening to protest, but his words cut her off, his hot breath heating her neck. "More so now than ever because after knowing _you_… I feel that I should have known better." Kaoru froze at the implication, her heart pounding painfully. "It's amazing how much easier it is to spot lies after you are faced with what is true."

"…Kenshin…"

"Even my name sounds different when you say it. Like your tongue is caressing the syllables and I feel…" At a loss on how to describe it, he struggled, his grip on her shifting.

"Treasured?"

"Yes."

"I feel that too." Running a hand up and down his back soothingly, she sighed deeply, her next words only slightly tentative. "Is that all that was bothering you Kenshin?" There was a long pause and then laughter huffed against her skin.

"It's kind of cold."

"Baka, of course it is." Shaking her head in exasperated amusement she tightened her grip on him, pressing herself closer to share body heat. "We're over thirty stories up and it's November. Where's your coat?"

"In the office. I didn't think I would need it." Kenshin smiled and snuggled himself closer, thinking in the back of his mind that there was a plus side to forgetting it. "Besides, you have one."

"Yeah, because I was thinking."

"Would you care to share?" She froze and he could imagine her pursing her lips.

"Or we could just go inside. Kenji's waiting after all."

"Kenji's here?" Slowly catching up and sifting through every detail of what her presence entailed, he pulled back enough to help her unzip her coat, gratefully ducking down to cuddle with her inside of it. Careful not to let her see his face too clearly, he burrowed back into her neck.

"Of course." Smiling, she rested her head on top of his. "It is his birthday and he wants to have lunch with his father."

"Really?"

"That's right. He specifically requested you, so we shouldn't keep him waiting too much longer."

"Just… just a few more minutes." The material of her coat was still damp and his eyes felt dry and slightly puffy. There was no way he was going to let his son see him in such a state. Especially after Kaoru's speech.

Time passed between them with brief exchanges of soft words, Kaoru alternating her attention between playing with his hair and planting butterfly kisses on his neck and shoulder. When Kenshin deemed himself ready to go back inside he felt emotional exhaustion slam down on him, prompted by the shifting of his body away from Kaoru's solid support. Shuffling his way across the roof to the door he watched Kaoru turn to him several times, worry plain in her eyes. Smiling warmly he wrapped an arm around her and spoke a soft denial against her concern.

Back in the corridor on the top floor many curious eyes found their way to the couple, astonishment brightening them at the intimate show of affection their boss was sharing with this girl they did not know. With his arm curled around her back, his eyes hardly left her, his forehead coming to rest briefly on her skull once or twice as he spoke to her. What was more she seemed to be just as affected by his presence, her blue irises soft as she looked to him.

At the entrance to the wing of his office they came face to face with Kimiko, her shock at seeing the two forcing her to stop and stare. Kenshin merely smiled, his head bowing slightly in acknowledgement before gesturing to Kaoru.

"Hello, Kimiko-san. You wouldn't know Kaoru-san yet…"

Cutting him off Kaoru placed a hand on his chest. "Actually, we were introduced earlier." Smiling unthreateningly, she looked to the woman with clear eyes. "Kimiko-san was going to help me find the door to the roof when Ishijima-san ran across us. He was nice enough to help us both since she was very busy and decided to show me himself."

"Really? That was nice of you Kimiko-san." Kenshin moved to walk on, Kaoru nodding her head at the woman when she bowed, relief strong on her features. Stepping into the room connecting his office with Aoshi's he followed Kaoru's urging to the door across from his own. Stopping her in front of the wooden barrier he met her curious gaze with his own tired one, tilting back her chin to steal a kiss in the empty space.

"Thank you… for everything, Kaoru."

As soon as the door opened Kenji was in front of them, his face beaming with excitement as he hugged his father when he was picked up.

"Daddy! Look! We brought you lunch!"

"So I heard. What are we having?"

As Kenji set off into an elaborate explanation of their meal Kaoru smiled at Misao's searching look, shrugging her shoulders and grinning when the other girl laughed. Aoshi watched his boss warily for a time, observing his actions with sharp eyes. It was only when his free hand reached for Kaoru's did the other relax, though, glad that they had overcome this problem and that it was not going to spill out onto the rest of them.

Finding more chairs and dragging them into the room they ate leisurely, uncaring of the time they took as there were no meetings scheduled for the rest of the afternoon. A consideration Kenshin had taken knowing what his temperament was going to be like. During the meal Kenshin ate little, his attention focused on Kenji and Kaoru, and the only time his fingers would let go of hers was when Kenji demanded something that required both of his hands. Similarly Kaoru did the same, cuddling the boy in her lap as much as he would let her, the look in her eye almost desperate and painful. Their was a want that Kenshin could feel from her, to give the boy as much love as she could get away with knowing now what he had missed out on and why. Seeing the actions she took with him Kenshin reaffirmed the notion that he should have been more careful at picking out Kenji's mother to begin with. Kaoru would have been a much better choice. _A decision I will not fumble a second time._

Kenji was loving the attention. The atmosphere had changed, though not to anything worse, and the boy could feel it and he responded. His father was much closer to Kaoru than normal, the bubble surrounding them welcoming him when he wanted to be and yet enclosing them when they thought themselves disregarded. Their fingers were tangled together, a happening that he had become used to, and his father's eyes strayed to her like she was a magnet. Then, when the conversation of the other two adults carried off without them, his father leaned into her, his head nestling under her ear and his eyes closing, his lips moving in a quiet whisper. Switching his attention to Kaoru he watched her respond, her free hand lifting to brush stray hairs out of his eyes like she would do for him on occasion, her smile small and soft, her eyes half closed. Suddenly wanting to be a part of it Kenji stepped forward and rested his small hands on Kaoru's knees.

"Love me too, Kaoru-san."

Kaoru giggled at his innocent demand. "Of course sweetie." Reaching with her free hand to help him into her lap she was assisted by Kenshin's, and between the three of them he was finally situated in the bubble. Smiling happily Kenji snuggled into her chest, the crown of his head just below his father's chin and he listened to Kaoru giggle again.

"Now I am the luckiest girl alive." Kaoru hugged Kenji to her, her head still braced on the curve of Kenshin's and she closed her eyes in contentment, feeling warm and loved and needed. Forgetting for a time where she was she popped open an eye when she heard something click faintly, her lips pursing in mock anger. Misao grinned and waved the camera in the air as if to say they could do nothing about it now, the damage was done. Laughing softly, Kaoru lifted her head to look at Kenshin, finding that his own eyes were on the other girl.

"Don't worry, you'll get a copy."

A small smile tilted his lips before his eyes closed again, content with the answer.

After everything was put up and the girls began busying themselves to leave Kenshin excused himself to his office, worried over an account that was supposed to have been taken care of. Kaoru watched him leave with worry plain in her eyes, his movements still slow and drastically different than his normally graceful stride. The poor man was obviously worn out and in need of sleep. Sighing, she walked absently around Aoshi's large desk, parting a curtain to look out the window, her sight turned inward.

So that woman was still alive. How strange that she would have thought her to be dead, but she couldn't feel as if she could be blamed for the notion. She couldn't stand the very thought of being forcefully removed from a child she would call her own let alone just leaving him freely. What kind of a heart would it take to accomplish such callousness? What kind of a mother? Obviously not a true mother, she didn't think.

And then Kenshin himself. How could any woman leave such a man? He was so eager to please; adorable at moments; sensitive; funny; even dangerous. Kaoru felt her cheeks flush, and she leaned further into the cool glass. Every woman needed a little danger in their life, especially from a source they knew they could trust. Even with as powerful as she knew him to be she had watched him with his son for months now and he had the most gentle hand. Strength and tenderness were not normally found occupying the same area and Kaoru counted herself lucky that she had found him at all.

A knock sounded on the door and Kaoru automatically turned to see who it was. When dark eyes peeked into the room, that familiar twinkle winking at her, she smiled.

"Ah, there you are Kamiya-san. I was just over to see Himura-san and I thought I would stop by and let you and Shinomori-san know that I have instructed him to take the rest of the day off. He needs to spend it with his son. Birthday's aren't every day, are they little man?" Finding Kenji, Ishijima-san winked at him. Kenji grinned, his bright face looking around at the others with a sense of triumph.

_Now I get Mommy and Daddy all day!_

x

Kaoru grinned down at the boy in her arms, his soft breathing puffing against her shoulder and his red lashes still as he slumbered. Looking up with a soft smile at the boy's father, she readjusted her arms around his small body and carefully moved to stand off the couch.

It felt extremely strange to be in their house, a setting she had never seen - she had only just realized the moment Kenshin had asked if she would like to eat supper with them there. The house was smaller than she thought it was going to be but also nicer than she had expected as well. Though it wasn't truly fair of her to think it would be otherwise, even if it was occupied by two guys living alone. However, everything was neat and tidy, including the play room Kenji had shown to her when they had first arrived.

The afternoon had been spent hopping from skating rinks to an indoor carnival down town and then onward toward anywhere else that the boy wished to see. Kaoru had been worried all evening about Kenshin, though he refused to do anything but what his son wanted. In consequence, she was left dividing her attention between making her little firecracker the happiest boy in the world and watching her sweetheart pretend to not be worn out.

Sighing, Kaoru moved to the hallway and the stairs at the end, smiling at Kenshin when she passed and shaking her head when he offered to take the small bundle from her. "I can handle him, Kenshin. Why don't you relax for once?" Still a little irritated that he would not let her clean the kitchen for him, she brushed passed his outstretched arms and ignored his exasperated expression.

When she had successfully tucked in the little tyke without disturbing him, leaving a soft kiss on his brow, she returned to the hallway, closing his door with a quiet click. Heart swelling with affection she chewed her lower lip and moved back to the landing of the stairway, pausing when another doorway caught her attention. _That must be Kenshin's room._ Worrying her lip even further, nervousness pulling at her gut, curiosity pierced her brain and she glanced cautiously down the stairs before tiptoeing over to the second door. _I'm not being nosy, I just want to make sure he's taking care of himself like he should be. That he has enough blankets on his bed and everything. Yeah._ Cracking the door open one blue iris peeked into the room, blinking several times when she was met with a very peculiar sight. The room was empty. Completely. Only a stripped bed and forgotten curtains giving any focal point to the room. _Wha…? Surely he doesn't sleep like this?_ Confused Kaoru frowned, closing the door and returning to the first floor.

Back in the door to the living room she suppressed a giggle at finding her other redhead sunk into the middle of the couch, his head cocked back on the cushions with one arm thrown over his eyes. _The poor guy is exhausted._ Tiptoeing toward his figure Kaoru watched his face for several seconds, taking in his features at leisure and loving the thought that he was letting her. Softly moving to join him Kaoru carefully situated her weight on the seat beside him, stretching a little to place a tentative kiss on his chin. A smile pulled at his lips and his arm came down to wrap around her to pull her into his side so he could snuggle his nose behind her ear.

"You look terrible, Kenshin. You need to get some sleep." Keeping her voice softened in concern she brushed back red hairs that were tickling her face. A noncommittal grunt was her only answer and she chuckled in amusement. "Listen… I'm going to call a cab and you are going to go straight to bed." The next noise he made was acutely affronted. "Don't argue. If you don't get any sleep soon you are going to fall over and I will not have you wreak that car of yours. Besides, you can't leave Kenji here alone and I will not have you wake him back up just to take me home."

More of his weight leaned into her, his other arm wrapping around her back to steady her as his right disappeared to brace them on the couch. "Or you could just stay here." Overbalanced by his sudden change of angle and surprised by the suggestion, Kaoru blinked twice at finding herself lying across the couch now, her head pillowed on the arm rest and the length of his bicep. Legs tangled over and around his, her arms automatically circling his figure, his head lay softly on her chest, his grip comfortably tight around her ribcage. Soft, warm breath puffed against her skin, ghosting down the collar of her blouse. Feeling breathless and twitchy, she bit her lip at the insane temptation to wriggle against him. "There is an extra room you can sleep in…"

Anxiousness leaving her limbs and relaxing her muscles, Kaoru let out a long breath. They had never really talked about furthering their relationship and Kenshin was not the type to push. However, there had been times when she had felt that he wished to do more but had restrained himself. Now, she realized, could very well be one of those moments, what with the way the toes of his left foot skimmed up and down her ankle. His touch was light, however, and his words were comforting, and he did nothing more than rest against her like Kenji had been doing earlier. "I - would have nothing to wear."

Humming at the thought of her wearing nothing, Kenshin grinned, well aware that she could not see it. _Next best thing… _ "You can wear something of mine."

"I… hmmm." _Can't argue with that. _

Kenshin chuckled lightly and readjusted his weight, his eyes drifting shut as exhaustion pressed down on him. His emotional turmoil had run him completely into the ground with the climatic turn of events that day. Unconsciously relaxing he drifted in half-sleep, smiling languidly when she kissed his forehead in a way she was wont to do his son. "Kaoru…"

"Hmm?"

"I need to ask a favor of you."

"Okay…"

"Next month I have to take a business trip to New York, to attend a few meetings and check their progress. The trip will take a week, give or take a few days, and I will need someone to watch Kenji for me."

Emotions switching to a sudden jerk of tender sadness at being separated from him, Kaoru spoke up softly. "Of course I'll watch Kenji for you. I would love to."

Sighing deeply, Kenshin smiled happily. "Good, I didn't really want to be apart from you for such a long time. Of course there will be a party to attend on New Year's Eve and I won't always be working so I will get to spend more time with the both of you than you think."

"W-what? But… you want me to come with you? To New York City?"

"Yes. Did you think I would want you to watch Kenji here?" Lifting up slightly to look Kaoru in the eye, he closed his eyes to smile when she blushed and nodded. Rubbing his nose lovingly against her cheek he huffed out breathless laughter. "I could not stand to be away from either of you. And besides, Shinomori-san is going to ask Makimachi-san if she wants to go, and I imagine she will not say no, so you will have her there as well when we are both working. Which brings me to another subject I wanted to breach." Placing a line of kisses up her jaw he snuggled his nose against her ear once again. "I want you to quit your job at the restaurant."

"What? I can't just quit, Kenshin, I have…"

"I know, koishii, but I want you to watch Kenji during the week for me, and that will interfere with your job there, as sometimes I don't get off work until late. Kenji would rather be with you than at the center, and if I'm not mistaking you would rather watch him than wait tables. I'm prepared to pay you as much as I pay them. Which, I think, is more than you make as a waitress."

"I could never take money from you for watching Kenji." Pushing against his chest to bring his eyes back level with hers Kaoru glared up at the man half over her, her mouth tightening when his eyes twinkled. "You know I won't."

"And I could never ask you to watch him knowing full well that you are not making enough money to pay your own bills." Shaking his head when she pouted he adjusted his weight onto his arm, levering himself a little further away from that tempting mouth. "Besides, you're already teaching him when he stays over once a week and if you baby-sit him for me too then I owe you for your time, attention, and knowledge."

"You don't owe me anything, Kenshin. I love watching Kenji. He…" Lowering her eyes and biting her lip, she let out a shaky breath. "…he is very precious to me."

"I know, koishii." Leaning back down to cuddle with her, his body settling closer once again, he closed his eyes and smiled. "But if I'm going to be selfish by asking you to watch my son instead of keeping him where he's at then you will let me compensate your own sacrifice." _Especially since it's too early for me to ask to move in together. This is the only way I could think of at the present time to allow you to focus solely on your teaching without having to worry about not being able support yourself. Until the moment when I can claim you as my own._

"Kenshin…" Her voice was exasperated but he cut her off quickly by fastening his lips over hers.

With his body warm and firm against the planes of her chest and stomach, their legs tangled and unconsciously creating friction, the light kiss took on a much more meaningful tilt. Shivering at the fingers tangling in his hair, the instinctive way she arched against him, his own hand slid slowly down her side. Mind and heart permeated in heat, Kenshin felt out the moment when their situation trembled on the edges of passion, wanting nothing more than to dive over and let the wind take him. Instead he pulled back, softening his touch to a mere brush and letting their kiss end slowly. Breath shaky and laboring in his lungs he watched her blue irises reveal themselves to him, their dark depths swirling with sweet confusion and innocent desire.

"I think it's time for us both to retire, koishii." Seeing her brows curl in incomprehension he smiled in amusement. "You don't have to decide right now. I'll let you think on it for a few days." Rubbing a strand of her hair between his fingers he lightly kissed her temple. "It is a large decision. Kenji isn't always happy and playful. He can have his moments too."

"I will never mind watching Kenji. It's just…" Eyes clearing of most of their daze, Kaoru look down to stare at the shirt covering his chest. "I will feel… really low accepting money from you."

"Would you rather me steal your mail and pay your bills for you? I can do that too." _Just like I did with that medical bill._ Projecting a teasing air into his words he quirked an eyebrow, letting her know that he would if she pressed him.

"Don't you dare."

"Koishii, it's not like I am just going to be giving you money for no good reason. Though you should know that I will help you with anything that you're having trouble with. You can't very well deny that life requires some kind of income and without one you cannot survive. I am simply suggesting a change of job." Grinning, he touched his nose to hers. "If you accept that means I'm your new boss, and since you're technically dating me that means you get special treatment."

"Mou!" Pulling on his hair, she pouted. "I'd hate to think of what I'd have to do to get a raise."

"As soon as you accept I will let you ask."

Giggling as he playfully snuffled his way up her neck she jerked and twisted as his fingers danced down her side. "Kenshin! We were supposed to be going to bed."

"Oh alright." Pouting, he pulled himself up and away from her, lending her a hand to help her up as well. "I can always get you in the morning when you're still asleep and off guard." Whispering in her ear he smiled when she blushed, her ears turning pink, but pulled back when a light of challenge entered her eyes.

"Don't you know a master is never off guard?"

"Hmmm. We shall see."

x

Kenshin woke the next morning and automatically looked to his clock, his eyes blinking rapidly at finding it to be almost nine in the morning. _I slept in?_ Sluggish and still half relaxed he sat up, rubbing a hand over his face as he yawned. Sighing deeply and feeling refreshed he sniffed again at finding a familiar smell in the air; the strong odor of coffee with a light dusting of jasmine. Grinning foolishly he crawled out of his futon and stood up to make his way to the door, uncaring of his state of under-dress and probable bed head.

His room was on the first floor, a setting that he had noticed confused his little kendo instructor as she had peeked hesitantly through the shoji the night before. As he had handed her an extra pair of pajamas to wear a frown had crossed her features and he had found her eyes to be on the flat futon in the middle of the floor. She hadn't commented, though he knew she had wanted to, and had placed a soft kiss on his cheek instead, whispering a love filled goodnight before heading to her own room a couple of doors down. He could understand her confusion, as there was still an entire upstairs that was not used except for Kenji, but he had grown used to his simple room. The master bedroom upstairs was full of too many bitter memories and he had no desire to make it into his own once again. Especially after _she_ had kicked him out of it four months into the pregnancy.

Shaking his head of resentful thoughts, Kenshin instead followed the wonderful smell filling his house to the kitchen, softly opening the shoji with a careful hand. Inside was silent and still partially dark, soothing with the morning sun as the only light. There was only one thing out of place and that was the woman standing with her back to him next to the coffee pot. Smiling in contentment, loving the way a swell of emotion rose in his chest at the sight of her, he ducked silently inside and made his way to her. He loved finding her in his kitchen, loved the way her braided hair was slightly fuzzy from sleep; the rumpled mess of the pajamas she wore; how they hung limply around her slight form and turned her into something endearing and sweet. Adorable. Loved that she was making coffee in his coffee maker; that she had slept in his house the night before; that she was in love with his son. Feeling his heart tremble vulnerably, he stopped only a foot from her, taking in everything he could see with eager and anxious eyes.

A cute sound of appreciation filled the room as she took her first sip of the coffee, her voice humming in the back of her throat and Kenshin closed his eyes to take it in. _She's so wonderful. I could wake up every morning to this._ Finding the distance between them to be too much he stepped forward and lightly slid his arms around her torso.

She jumped, surprised that he had snuck up on her and he grinned, remembering her words from the night before. _Indeed, koishii… but two masters in the same house will definitely make things interesting._ "Good morning." Breathing the word in her ear he snuggled closer when she shivered, taking the cup away from her fingers to lift it to his own lips for a drink. Giving his own sound of appreciation for the drink he listened to her giggle with a feeling of satisfaction, her own softly spoken greeting stirring the air.

"Good morning." Another giggle. "We slept in, ne? Good thing it's Saturday."

"Hmm." Agreeing with her he sat the cup down, his hands encouraging her to turn around. Fingers gliding over her face and down her neck, his eyes following to the partially unbuttoned collar of her top and the enticing view it revealed, he let his own features fall into a curious seriousness. Meeting her blue irises again, he brushed stray hairs out of her lashes and cupped her cheeks in his palms. "Kirei."

Self-conscious she lifted a hand to smooth over her unruly hair, a smile trembling on the corners of her mouth. "I just got out of bed…"

"And you look like something I would want to cuddle against while I slept."

Blushing, she bit her lip, her eyes bright with happiness. Bringing up her own hesitant fingers she trailed them over his cheekbone and down his jaw, ghosting them lightly over his lower lip. He looked beautiful himself, though she didn't think she would get away with telling him that. Downplaying the words considerably she forced them out before his lips covered hers completely. "I like seeing you like this as well."

Tasting of coffee and sweet surrender, her back braced against the counter and her hands circling his neck, Kenshin set out to thoroughly enjoy this morning treat when he felt something tug on his pant leg. Breaking away with a start of surprise they both looked down at the little boy standing in his pajamas next to them. With one small hand rubbing over his eyes and his limbs limp with the last vestiges of fatigue he looked back at them with a sleepy blue-violet gaze. "Me too."

Laughing affectionately Kaoru glanced at Kenshin, her eyes amused and tender. "So much for a master never letting down his guard." Silently agreeing with twinkling eyes, Kenshin bent over and hefted the small weight of his son into his arms, kissing him fondly on the temple. Leaning in to contribute her own good morning, Kaoru kissed him on the other, wrapping her arms around the both of them and snuggling into the warmth they were sharing. "Good morning, Kenji-chan. Did my little man have the best birthday yesterday?" Nodding his head Kenji let his muscles relax and he slumped into her. Catching him hurriedly Kaoru pursed her lips at Kenshin's amused expression, taking the little boy out of his arms fully.

"I'll make us some breakfast." Kissing her on the crown of her head he moved away from them both to the stove.

Rocking the boy slightly in an unconsciously motherly move Kaoru strolled to the table, settling on one of the seats carefully. Still swaying the boy's weight back and forth, blue irises followed the older red-head contemplatively.

"Kenji-chan?" His small head shifted against her, bleary eyes giving her his attention. "How would you like to stay with me during the week while your father is at work?" She watched his eyes brighten, drowsiness banished by excitement. "Instead of going to the center?"

"Really?" Both sets of eyes from the two red-heads found their way to her, Kenshin's gaze happily triumphant; the boy's was wide with wonder. "Every day?"

"Every day. That means daily kendo lessons as well. I have classes to teach every afternoon and I cannot give those up." Saying that for the benefit of both men, she was glad when Kenshin nodded his head in acceptance.

"Yay! Train with you and Yahiko-kun."

Kaoru smiled, wondering at the two boys in her life bonding like they had. Yahiko had actually become quite the protective young man.

_That means I get Kaoru every day now. And Daddy was kissing her, and they were hugging. Does that mean she's my mommy now?_ Frowning minimally, Kenji thought through everything he knew had to be done. _I have to make sure that she loves Daddy. Kaoru said that just because people kiss does not mean they are a mommy. Maybe I should ask Daddy what that means?_ Looking to his father, Kenji shook his head. _No, Daddy doesn't make sense about those things sometimes. Maybe I should ask Yahiko-kun. He'll tell me. But I am getting closer._ Grinning happily Kenji looked to Kaoru, smugly content with the knowledge that his mommy was real and that he would soon be able to call her what she was to him in his heart. All he had to do was prove that he was a good enough little boy and she would soon love him and his father like he wanted. Soon they would be together all of the time. Nothing was keeping him from his mommy any more.


	8. A Whole New World

Disclaimer: To be fair, I do not have children. But I have two nieces, three nephews and two cats. lol

**Chapter 8: A Whole New World**

Kaoru bit her lip in nervous excitement, her blue irises wide and delighted as they stared out of the small window next to her. She had never been on a plane before and the experience was at once frightening and thrilling. It was such an amazing sight seeing the clouds drifting along below or next to them, the sun setting them aflame as it slowly sank its way toward the horizon. Then the dark blue of the ocean beneath them, stretching for miles and miles before giving way to the coastline, then the mountains and the plains. They would be arriving late in New York and Kenshin had assured her that the city was beautiful when seen at night, the lights glowing fearlessly in the dark.

Glancing down at the little boy in front of her she immediately reached down and lifted him into her lap, letting him peek out of the window himself. Kenji's excitement was a mirror of her own as he had never been on a plane before, that he could remember anyway. This, she was noticing, was a constant source of amusement for her other redhead as well as for the other man they were traveling with as Misao was a little more verbal with her enthusiasm.

Chancing a grin Kenshin's way she paused when she caught that familiar tender look in his eyes. It was a look that she was beginning to see more and more of. It had appeared more than once at the start of their relationship; when she had awoken in his arms the day she had been to the hospital; when she had first cuddled his son into her lap; or that moment on their first date when she had been caught up in the beauty of the heavens. Since then she had found him captured in that unknown emotion several times. There was the first time her and Kenji had gotten into a fight, her heart aching that she had been forced to berate him for his actions. Then the day he had left work early, catching her in the middle of classes and watching silently from the background as she instructed her students. Up to the moment when she had chatted excitedly with Misao as they waited to board, their combined animation slightly overwhelming. Now he was showing it again and she wondered what it was he was really thinking. Was it amusement, or affection; pain, or longing; envy, or pride; or a combination of them all?

Smiling uncertainly, she blinked innocently at him, concerned when he did nothing but continue to stare. "Are we bothering you, Kenshin?"

His eyebrows shot up at this question and she grinned at the comical expression, her head tilting to the side when he stuttered in disbelief that she would even think such a thing. "How could you be bothering me, Kaoru?"

"Hmm… I don't know. You haven't really done much but stare since we got on board. What am I supposed to think?"

Smiling softly, Kenshin leaned over to whisper his reply in her ear. "That I cannot get over how beautiful you are." _With your eyes lit with such innocent wonder and my son cuddled in your lap, where else am I supposed to look?_

Blushing, Kaoru ducked slightly into the boy sitting on her legs, bracing her cheek on his head and smiling back at the man through red fly-a-ways. "Oh…"

"Kaoru look!" Misao's head appeared over the seat in front of them, her bright eyes lit with wonder and excitement. "You can see the city now!"

Kaoru turned away to look back out the window, her face pressing closer to Kenji's so they could share the view. Bright lights filled her vision and she gasped at the shear size and impressive height of the buildings. It was amazing, even at night when the detail was hazed out by moonlight. _It takes up the entire island. _"It's… beautiful."

"Just wait 'til you see it from ground level." Kenshin touched her arm as he promised her more delight, leaning into her as he caught bits and pieces of the view..

When they were given the clear to finally leave the aircraft Kenji held tightly to Kaoru, his small arms wrapping around her slender neck and his large eyes taking in everything around him. Smiling tenderly, she wondered what it was like for him to see so much in such a short time. Everything here was different than what he was used to and probably extremely overwhelming for his innocent mind to handle. If he felt anything like what she was feeling he was terrified and thrilled and anxious all at the same time.

Inside the terminal Kenshin made sure that they all stuck close together, afraid that they might get separated by the crowd of people busying themselves around the open floor. Craning her own neck around Kaoru took in the foreign sights; the English lettering of the signs; the bustle and chatter of a language she was not used to hearing; the informal way people were greeting one another. Looking back to Kenshin when he wrapped an arm around her waist, she smiled at the affection she could read on his face.

"I've never seen anything like it."

"It'll only get better." Still smiling he led her away from the crowds, following Aoshi and Misao as they headed toward the carousel. It seemed, though, when they arrived there that someone had already been to grab there baggage for them. The man responsible was standing slightly off to the side with a cart piled high with their belongings and next to him was someone that apparently knew the two men from Japan.

"About time you two showed up." Long legs moving the man forward, he crossed his arms and frowned. "You know, Hiko-sama wanted you here last week. We were having problems with that new account you recommended."

Kenshin smiled harmlessly. "And are you still having troubles?"

"Well… no. It took us a couple of days but we finally figured out what you were talking about." Robbed of his indignity he pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have come here and taken care of your own mess anyway. I think Hiko-sama's got it right when he thinks you need to take more responsibility for your actions."

"Maa, maa… I had other matters to see to. I couldn't just drop everything and leave for here on a moment's notice. Our plans were already set to come this week."

"'Our plans'?" Quoting him questioningly brown eyes finally looked over the red-head's shorter stature and at the three others with him and Aoshi. Smiling at the three sets of light colored irises he whistled at the two women. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Leaning towards Kenshin he threw his voice at a mock conspirator's octave, making sure all could hear. "Please tell me that she's just here to baby-sit Kenji and she's fair game."

Kaoru giggled and glanced to Misao where she was laughing as well, before looking to Kenshin with amusement plain in her eyes. He smiled and shook his head, but the expression turned dangerous when he looked back to the other. "She is most definitely not just a babysitter and I won't hesitate to remind you if you do forget."

Blinking in surprise at the serious lift of a red brow and the flat promise in violet eyes, the tall man threw back his head and laughed. "Good Kami, you finally found enough sense to grab yourself a better woman." Stepping in the middle of the two men, he threw an arm around both of them. "And I suppose that little cutie over there is yours as well, Aoshi." Sighing dramatically when Aoshi shot him a look out of the corner of his eye, he dropped his head. "Aren't I the lone man out. Well, introduce me. I want to know their names."

It was Kenshin's turn to frown at the headlock he suddenly found himself in, but didn't struggle as he held out a hand to indicate the woman that was now in front of them. "Kamiya Kaoru I would like you to meet a good friend of mine, Sagara Sanosuke." When Aoshi stayed silent, Kenshin blinked at the almost silent rebellion. Coughing, he moved his hand to gesture at the other girl politely. "And Aoshi's," Clearing his throat, he tried a little sarcasm to bite at Aoshi's pride and rebuke him for being slightly rude. "'cutie' is Makimachi Misao." Hard blue irises turned to him slowly and Kenshin lifted an eyebrow, Kaoru's giggles informing him that she had caught on as well. Misao pursed her lips and stepped forward to grab the stoic man's hand.

"I'm Himura Kenji." Not wanting to be left out the little boy lifted his arm for attention.

"You certainly are." Letting the two men go finally, Sano took a step forward and braced himself on his knees to be at eye level with the boy in Kaoru's arms. "We've met before, Kenji-chan, but you were probably too young to remember Uncle Sano."

Kenji screwed up his mouth as he tried to remember, his eyes serious as they took in Sano's features. He couldn't remember ever seeing the man before, though, and he shrugged his shoulders helplessly when nothing came to mind. Sano sighed in defeat but shook it off. "Ah well, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other all over again."

As they left the terminal for the parking lot outside Kaoru realized finally why the other man had met them there. Not only was he there as a friend, or even as a business partner, but he was there to make sure they arrived safely to their destination. A long limousine waited for them just outside the doors, there luggage already being piled into the trunk. Slightly in awe she followed Kenshin's reassuring directions and settled Kenji on the ground to help him climb onto the large leather seats. Misao gave a girlish squeal as she climbed in next, her eyes taking in the extra compartments and knobs that spoiled anyone riding in the back. Kenshin let Aoshi situate himself next to Misao on the middle seat before sliding in last and smiling at Kenji as he bounced up and down in excitement.

For the sake of room Sano sat up front with the driver, his arm thrown over the seal of the open privacy window as he turned his body sideways so he could talk with the other passengers as they drove.

"So, is this the first time you lovely ladies have ever been to New York City?"

"Yes." Both chiming in, Misao and Kaoru turned their attention to Sano, their blue eyes smiling.

Grinning, Sano looked to Kenshin. "Are they going to be ok? There are barely a handful of people here that speak Japanese."

Brushing a hand over Kenji's hair Kaoru busied herself with combing her fingers through a knotted lock while answering back in a lightly accented English. "I'm sure we will be fine Mr. Sagara. Do not feel like you will need to baby-sit us."

"Well, hot damn. She's cute, good with kids, has a sense of humor, a nice backbone, and she's smart. Too bad you don't have a very good eye for men, though." Grinning at her pursed lips he jabbed a finger at himself. "You would be much better off with me honey. Whadya say?"

Kaoru laughed, Kenshin's eyes exasperated as he shook his head, but it was Kenji who spoke up indignantly. "Kaoru not for you. Kaoru belongs to me and Daddy."

It was Sano's turn to laugh this time, Misao's giggles and Kenshin's light chuckles lighting the car. Holding up his hands in defeat Sano let the kid back him off. "Alright, alright. I can tell when I've lost. She's all yours kid." Shaking his head as Kenji stuck his tongue out at him, Sano smirked at Kenshin's amused features. "Well he certainly takes after his father. Possessive _and_ protective."

Placing his hand on Kenji's head affectionately Kenshin covertly let his other hand brush across Kaoru's arm. "He just knows a good cause when he's found one." Kaoru smiled warmly, a light blush creeping up her cheeks. Clearing his throat Aoshi redirected the conversation.

"Is Hiko-sama waiting to see us tonight?"

"Yeah. He's been working rather late this last week so he's still at the office, but he insisted that you come down as soon as your flight was in to speak with him." Laughing, Sano twisted back in his seat so that he was facing the front. "I think he's a little anxious to see his grandson again but don't try and get him to say that. I'm sure he'll be wanting to meet the new little missy as well."

A little nervous Kaoru shot a look to Kenshin, his violet eyes warm and comforting. Biting her lip as his expression turned worried when she continued to look anxious Kaoru leaned closer and whispered her fear quietly in his ear. "Do you think Hiko-sama will like me?"

Surprised Kenshin chuckled, wondering at the endearing way she kept him off-balance. Pleased none-the-less he darted a glance around to make sure everyone else's attention was focused elsewhere before planting a gentle kiss on the side of her mouth. "I'm sure he will adore you, koishii. Just like I do." She smiled and he encouragingly wrapped an arm around her shoulders when she leaned into him.

At the office, a building that rivaled Kenshin's main headquarters in Tokyo, the troop exited the limo, Sano giving the driver instructions to take the luggage to the hotel and unload it in preparation for their arrival later. The building was mostly empty, only the security guards watching diligently at their posts as well as a few late night employees finishing up their business. Their troop walked straight to the elevator, Kaoru's arms still full of Kenji's drooping figure. The excitement had slightly worn off of him as night had set in fully and with the jet lag that was going to be affecting them all the boy could hardly keep his eyes open.

Not that Kaoru couldn't agree with him. With as many new and amazing sights that had flashed by the window on their way there the adrenaline that pumped through their veins was fast crashing. It would soon be time for bed and as much as Kaoru was wanting to meet Kenshin's father she was more worried about Kenji.

Rocking him slowly as the elevator brought them to the top floor, his head lying gently on her shoulder, she hummed unconsciously under her breath. Kenshin smiled at her when he heard, his arm wrapping around her back, and he leaned forward to see his son's sleepy features.

"Poor little guy. He wore himself out." Rubbing a hand up his back, Kenshin sighed. "We won't stay long." Kaoru smiled and kissed the little boy on the forehead.

Once on the top floor Sano showed the way to the wing that held Hiko's office as well as his own. A dim light shown through the glass. A large figure, vaguely outlined, was moving back and forth, his voice a low rumble as he spoke with someone they could not see. Knocking on the door Sano peeked his head inside, throwing the door wide when Hiko waved him in. A small phone was clutched in his large hand, his eyes distant as he focused on the voice on the other end. Then he spoke, his tone slightly irritated as he gave a gruff order to have the document finished and filed before the end of the next day.

Kenshin smiled in amusement at his adopted father's actions, throwing an encouraging look at Kaoru when she stepped out from behind him. Her own features were frozen in shock, her eyes blinking at the figure of the man he called father. Shaking his head knowingly Kenshin placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and reassured her as best he could.

"Don't worry, he's harmless."

_Harmless? The man looks like he could wrestle a bear. And win!_ Not only was the man tall, toping the lanky form of Sano by a few inches, but he was bulky as well. Dressed in a business suit the cut was custom, and had to be to cover his broad shoulders. His hands were large, and strong, and even his long hair looked slightly strict. Uneasy and nervous of her own appearance, wondering if he wouldn't be an overprotective parent like he rightly could be, she shifted her weight and fidgeted with Kenji's hair. There was no reason for him to think that she wouldn't be with Kenshin for any other reason than the last woman had.

When he turned, though, his dark eyes serious, she found kindness there as well and a well rounded sense of humor. Then he grunted at Kenshin's figure and crossed his arms, his weight leaning against the desk behind him. "About damn time you showed up, idiot. I can't very well take care of every problem you create."

"But that's what you're getting paid for." Smiling harmlessly Kenshin shrugged his shoulders.

"Hmph." Dismissing his rebuttal carelessly as Sano laughed and even Aoshi coughed into his hand, he swept his eyes over the rest of the party. "So where's my grandson? You had better be taking care of him properly."

Kaoru smiled at Kenshin's exasperated sigh and stepped forward without his urging. Walking steadily to the man whom Kenshin called father she brushed a hand over Kenji's hair to free his sleeping features to the other's gaze. Large fingers echoed the movement of her own and Kaoru studied with a blossom of warmth the tender look on Hiko's face. Lowering her eyes back to the boy before she was caught in her scrutiny she waited patiently while the man satisfied his curiosity over his well-being.

Dark eyes looked on in affection as the boy's soft breath puffed from parted lips. It had been too long since he had last seen him and he marveled at the growth he had undertaken. Patting his head softly, pride swelling in his chest, he moved his gaze to the woman, her soft features open. Something very familiar and peaceful resonated from her ki. Automatically searching for any threatening or vengeful purpose about her he was not surprised when he found none. This woman was completely pure. _Where did my idiot son find you, I wonder?_ Fingers drifting to her chin he felt her stiffen in surprise but she did not fight him as he lifted her eyes to meet his.

"And who might you be?"

She blinked hesitantly at him and he could feel her anxiety, but her eyes did not waver when she answered. "Kamiya Kaoru, sir. I am pleased to meet you." Her feet slid back smoothly to allow a minimal bow and only the others noticed his eyes widen.

"Kamiya, you say?" Brows furrowing at his suddenly sad tone she shifted the weight of the boy carefully and nodded. "You wouldn't have known a Kamiya Koshijirou, would you?"

Blue eyes finally faltered and dropped from his, her lip trembling under the bite of her teeth. "Yes, sir. He was my father."

"He was a good man, and a good friend. I was sad to hear of his passing and I apologize for not making it to his funeral. I prayed for him."

"Thank you, but…" Swallowing and looking to him in shock she let her confusion be known. "How did you know my father? I don't remember you."

"We were old friends, though…" His smile widened. "I remember seeing you once, just after you were born. Koshijirou was very proud." Hiko watched as her eyes softened further and he cleared his throat to redirect the conversation, hoping to restore the brightness to her irises. "Is his dojo still running? And the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu? How does it fair in this world of violence?"

"I have ten students under my care even now. Well," Pride filled her voice at the declaration, turning into a smiling affection as she looked back down to the boy in her arms. "eleven, counting Kenji-chan. It has been a struggle but we all work hard together and that makes it easier."

"Then you are the master now?" Intrigued, he lifted an eyebrow, his lips quirking when her eyes flashed at the challenge in his voice, her spine straightening in preparation of defense.

"That's right. I began my training under my father as soon as I was able. He taught me everything that I know and I have worked hard to make sure his dream has stayed alive in this world."

Hiko chuckled lightly. "I am glad he has such a champion. Not many would wish to study under a woman but the ones who do will certainly learn the best. Because of your own determination if nothing else." Patting her on the shoulder while giving one last brush of his hand over the boy's head he turned to the others, their silence polite as they waited. Kenshin's own expression was dark with thought and Hiko quirked a smile at his ignorance.

"It's good to see you again, Shinomori-san." Exchanging a bow in his direction Hiko moved the conversation along, knowing that their jet lag would be catching up with them soon. "You will have to introduce me to your young friend tomorrow. I think I will enjoy getting to know both of these women before the end of the week. Sano, why don't you take Shinomori-san to your office and get him a copy of the paperwork. And make sure Kamiya-san and my grandson are comfortable in the waiting area. I need to speak with my idiot son about a few things."

Kenshin watched silently as the other's left, a smile of encouragement pulling at his lips for Kaoru when she glanced his way. Hiko had returned his attention to a pile of papers on his desk as the activity ensued, seemingly in no hurry to conclude the night's conversations. When the door was finally closed Hiko sat heavily into his chair, gesturing carelessly at the one across from him.

"Take a seat. I promise we won't talk long but there are some issues that we need to discuss."

Kenshin sat with a nod, his brows still furrowed. A moment of silence passed before Kenshin felt he couldn't help but ask.

"How did you know Kaoru's father?"

"Like I said, we were old friends. Rivals actually." An exasperated huff of amusement pulled through his nose as an errant memory crossed his mind. "I would never say so to the girl but I thought his notions of a sword that gives life rather silly." Remembering the light of challenge that had entered blue eyes, Hiko laughed again. This time at himself. "But maybe there is something good to be had from it. It seems to neither weaken the spirit nor make one timid. In fact, your Kaoru-san has the purest spiritual energy I have ever felt before and she does not seem to be afraid to defend herself."

Kenshin laughed this time, amusement heavy in his tone over his own experience. "No. She is definitely not afraid to do that."

"The boy seems to be comfortable with her, as well. And she said something about training him. Is this true?"

"Kenji was rather enthusiastic about learning and I thought it a good idea for him to learn from her. Especially since he was already so attached to her at the time. I doubt I would have been able to convince him otherwise. Even if I had wanted to."

"Well, I won't say I don't approve. The strength her technique teaches will be a good asset for the boy in the future. Though it seems her presence alone might do him a world of good."

Kenshin's head lowered slightly, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "I had already thought of that, Hiko-sama. Kenji-chan has needed a motherly figure in his life, especially after our argument last year. Kaoru-san was a blessing that I was glad to have stumbled upon. Or rather Kenji stumbled upon. She seems more than willing to take up the job, as well, even without having been asked."

"Hmm, a very rare blessing considering your predicament with the last woman you 'stumbled upon.' Tell me, though, since Kenji was the one to have found this woman does that mean she belongs solely to him?"

Kenshin lifted an eyebrow, then shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "I have been teaching Kenji to share if that's what you mean."

"Good. Now that the personal issues are out of the way let's get down to business." One large hand lifted a large stack of papers and plopped them down in front of the red-head with a frown. "This 'suggestion' you were so kind as to give us a couple of weeks ago was a disaster. If you ever do this to the associates under my responsibility again I swear I will unmake you."

Kenshin laughed, his hands lifting in placation. "It was a success though, wasn't it?"

"Don't even start with me, boy."

x

Kaoru woke several hours later in an unfamiliar bed, on an unfamiliar continent, to an unfamiliar feeling. For a moment a strange sense of disorientation settled uncomfortably in her chest and her mind panicked. Taking a calming breath she shook her head and rolled to her side, feeling the anxiety ebb as she watched the small boy next to her sleep, his breath soft in exhaustion.

Her own response was the main reason she had insisted on staying in the boy's room. He had fallen asleep the night before in her arms and had not woke up once while she had dressed him in his pajamas. Without something familiar in sight when he did awake he would more than likely be hysterical. Kenshin had readily agreed with her and had only put up a minute fight for the right to stay. Smiling she brushed a hand over his round cheek. It seemed to her that lately Kenshin was more than willing to let her take some of the responsibility for Kenji's wellbeing and comfort. Oh he still claimed a lot of it for himself, there was no doubt about that, but something had changed about the man's attitude in the last month. It was almost as if he were encouraging her to help almost raise the boy.

Trembling at the notion and what it could mean for the future she situated herself closer to him and planted a light kiss on his forehead. Perfectly content to stay where she was until he awoke she scanned the room around her in interest.

It was rather fancy for her taste but comfortable, she had to concede. There was no help for it, though, as they were taking up the entire top floor of the hotel they were staying in. They were sharing it, of course, with Aoshi and Misao, but their suite was completely separate from the one she was sharing with Kenshin and Kenji. A fact that caused her no end of amusement.

When the situation was first explained to her she had figured, without a second thought, that Misao and herself would be sharing a suite while the men took up residence in the other. That fact had been shattered to pieces the moment they had arrived, however. While a blushing Misao had muttered a denial Kaoru had stared at her in dumbfounded confusion. It wasn't that she minded sharing a suite with Kenshin. They had already spent several occasions under the same roof, in different rooms obviously. It was Misao's own desire to share one with Aoshi that had shocked her. Oh she was happy for her, sure, and she hoped that Misao was happy as well. But didn't the little sneak have enough decency to at least tell her best friend before hand so she wouldn't make an ass out of herself in front of everyone?

Chuckling lightly Kaoru swiped a hand at the bangs tickling her nose. _And I'm not completely jealous over the fact either. Right._ Pursing her lips she darted her eyes to a connector door, it's solid presence leading into the bathroom that separated Kenshin's room from Kenji's. _At least Shinomori-san seems to have some initiative. Oooh, bad Kaoru! It's not like you have been totally receptive either!_ Not that she really knew how to be. She was a complete novice in the intimacy section.

Jumping as a quiet knock sounded from the door of her current study she rolled her eyes at the unguarded reaction and mentally cursed her startled heartbeat. Smoothing a smile on her lips when Kenshin's head peeked inside she shook her head silently at his questioning glance towards the boy. His own smile spread affectionately across his face as he stepped into the room and he made his way to the side of the bed to peer down on his son.

"Poor guy." Slender fingers followed the path she had made only minutes earlier, their rough pads lifting to slide down her cheek as well. "Did he sleep all night?"

"Yeah. I think I'm having more trouble adjusting to the time change than he is."

"It'll be a little disorienting. You have gained fourteen hours." Sitting down on the edge he surprised her by stretching himself out on top of the covers, Kenji's small form separating them.

"I know. It's hard to think it's actually nine o'clock in the evening in Tokyo right now. Not with the sun so low on the eastern horizon." Lowering her head onto the pillow next to Kenji she quirked a smile up at Kenshin. "I don't see how you can do this very often."

Kenshin laughed softly, his palm flattening over her cheek. "With lots and lots of coffee."

Kaoru giggled, her own hand lifting to play with the tie he was wearing. "Do you have to go to work today?"

"Yeah, Hiko-sama insisted on it. I think he's still angry with me." Chuckling lightly he wrapped his hand around her own and lifted her fingers to his lips. "He'll get over it." Kissing a light path across her knuckles, lazy lashes half-covering warm violet eyes, their depths darkened as a blush that stained her cheeks. "I'll see about getting tomorrow or the day after off, though."

"Oh?"

"I didn't want it to seem as if I were neglecting you and Kenji." Gently he encouraged her hand to slide over his cheek, nuzzling his nose into her palm. Enjoying the warm atmosphere surrounding them he followed instinct blinding and grazed sharp teeth over the heel of her hand, loving the tremble it settled into her muscles.

"Good-morning."

Kaoru jumped hard at the soft greeting, her eyes darting down to the little boy in between them. Small fingers were rubbing at his eyes as he yawned, his form wiggling under the blankets.

"Good-morning, Kenji-chan." Kenshin spoke up gently, his eyes amused as they slid from Kaoru to his son. There was much dark promise in his gaze and Kaoru moved quickly to help the boy as a distraction.

"How are you feeling, Kenji?"

"Mmm… okay." Shrugging his shoulders he let her pull him out of the blankets before wrapping his arms around her neck and kissing her on the cheek. "I have to go to bathroom."

Chuckling softly she kissed him on the crown of the head before setting him down on the floor and leading him quietly to the door. Kenshin had stood to clear the way and Kaoru half-ignored him until Kenji was shutting the bathroom door between them. Only until then, though, as he effectively backed her into the wall, his nose nuzzling the soft skin behind her ear. His lungs pulled her scent in greedily, forcing her to smile. _"I can never get over how wonderful you always smell, koishii."_ That statement had been followed by a giggle as well. Of course, she always felt giddy when he was this close to her.

Careful teeth grazed over her skin for the second time that morning and her muscles once again jumped and twitched at the contact. Warmth spread thickly over her body, her eyelids slid closed, and her lips parted to let out a gasp. _Receptive… right. I wonder how this works exactly?_

As Kaoru's body quivered under his touch, her muscles responding to him freely, Kenshin's own being froze. Fists clenching against the wall and the small of her back he ordered himself to be more cautious of his actions. As far as he knew Kaoru was innocent. How far that innocence truly stretched he was not aware but she was innocent still in _their _relationship. That meant he must be extremely delicate about how he pushed her. Which did not include grabbing her with both hands and tossing her off the deep end. Especially since he didn't even know if she could swim.

Unfortunately it was becoming rather difficult to keep himself to himself. The more he allowed himself to test that border the more he realized that Kaoru was willing to let him. More than willing. Almost eager, in fact. Eager and slightly impatient; coaxing if not demanding he show her further down the path he was teasing her with. _You are not making this easy, koishii._

Tentative fingers touched lightly at his torso, hesitating for a brief moment before sliding the full length of her palms around his ribcage. Sighing shakily he pulled his mouth away from her neck, concentrating instead on stilling his heartbeat as her hands continued their exploration of his chest. Thinking himself calmed enough, his ears picking out the faucet in the other room, he was about to pull away when her chin slid softly over his. Curious of what she was doing he stilled, his head tilting to her in question when her silky tongue curled out of her mouth to wrap around his earlobe.

Mind lurching to a halt in a blinding flash of white he heard in vague understanding the harsh gasp that was ripped from his own throat when sharp teeth bit down on sensitive skin. _Oh… my…_ Gentle suction pulled at his ear as her lips took the place of her teeth and Kenshin was barely able to register the click and squeal of the door opening over the low suckling noise.

Kaoru's ears were obviously sharper, thank goodness, as she pulled away quickly in guilty embarrassment. Her body turned and she started to step away from him but before she could reach for the boy Kenshin's arm locked around her waist. Effectively halted, blue irises turned to him questioningly and widened at the look in his. Red bangs shadowing his features from the morning light, dark amber eyes stared back with heated intensity. She had expected the gold. It was a constant detail in their intimacy; swirling his emotions around, reflecting his affection and even small glances of longing. This dark sheen of bronze, however, was closer to the cold anger he had shown on the roof the day of Kenji's birthday. Except there was no mistaking the deep seed of unadulterated hunger planted in them as anger of any kind, especially with it bared so obviously to her gaze.

The intensity was no less however and her heart raced in excitement, flushing her cheeks with blood even as she felt a small touch of fear. It was an anxiety only over her doubt to match such a man. The moment was not to last, however, as small arms wrapped themselves around her leg and a miniature version of the redhead rested his temple on her hip.

"I hug Kaoru-san too."

Slowly Kenshin's arm loosened and skimmed over her stomach as he turned away, his steps slightly jerky and not like his normaly smooth glide. Biting her lip uncertainly Kaoru bent down to pick up the boy, squeezing him tightly in her own return hug. As the boy giggled his enjoyment she cast one last look after Kenshin before he stepped through the door, his eyes catching hers again in silent promise. _We will finish this. Soon._

Kenshin forced himself through normal morning routines, extremely conscious of the woman skimming the perimeter of his control. With Kenji in the room there was no chance to act upon the light brushes of her hands on his back, or the small, moist kisses on the curve of his cheekbone. It was not that he couldn't respond in kind to her affection but more that he could not guarantee it would be quite as innocent as previous mornings.

By the time a knock sounded on the door, Sano's voice announcing that the car was downstairs waiting for him, Kenshin's fingers were twitching and his eyes were a permanent sheen of amber. Hugging his son and wishing him a good day he left Kaoru with a fairly indifferent peck on the side of her mouth. He only hoped she would forgive him the cold farewell.

In the elevator, Aoshi having already preceded them to the car, Kenshin found, with no small sense of irritation, that his actions seemed to have caught the other man's attention.

"Rough morning already?"

"Leave it, Sanosuke."

"Che! Starting off in such a bad mood won't make the rest of the day go any smoother. Hiko-sama has already got it in for you." Dropping an arm on his shoulders Sano leaned in to whisper suggestively. "I certainly wouldn't be in such a horrible state if _I _woke up with a beautiful woman."

Sighing Kenshin leaned back into the railing around the sides, his head resting against the wall of the elevator. "Well that would make two of us, wouldn't it?" Quirking a half-hearted smile at the wide eyed expression on his friend's face Kenshin shrugged his shoulders and dropped his chin. "Not that it's her fault."

"Shit. Uh… sorry I brought it up, man. I thought that… since you know… were sharing a suite and all…"

"Only because Misao-san and Aoshi-san wished to share one."

"Oh…"

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing the mostly empty lobby and the still gloomy lights of the outside. Stepping out of the box Kenshin walked steadily towards Aoshi's solid figure, Sano's stride shortened in consideration.

"Well, hey… ya got all week, right?" Sano's lips tilted devilishly and Kenshin shook his head with a soft laugh, unable to stop his mood from lightening in the presence of his friend's uplifting attitude.

x

Four days into their trip and Kaoru couldn't truly say she got to see much of Kenshin at all. That first day after their arrival she had spent mostly lounging around the hotel suite, Misao's disheveled and half-coherent form sprawled on the couch. Kenji had even seemed less active and hadn't even protested when she'd told him it was time for a nap half-way through the day. Then that evening, after showing Kenji just where she would be sleeping and putting him to bed, she had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for Kenshin to come back. Anxious and nervously excited for most of the day after their heated encounter that morning she was understandably disappointed by his late arrival. That flare of disappointment had been thrown harshly to the back of her priority list, however, when Kenshin had finally walked through the door. Not only was it close to one in the morning but the man had looked like he'd been run through a meat grinder.

And had every day since.

Not that they were confined to the hotel. Kenshin sent the car to pick them up and take them anywhere that they wanted to go, wowing them with the foreign sites of the city. The driver was a kind, older gentleman and he kept them out of harms way and was very helpful and suggestive. All in all Kaoru could say that she was enjoying the adventurous trip even if it seemed she was only going to get to spend it with Kenji and Misao.

That was why she was slightly surprised when she found the man that had met them at the airport, Sagara Sanosuke, standing on the other side of the door with Misao on the fourth day holding their breakfast tray.

"Good morning, Kamiya-san, Kenji-chan." Bending at the waist in a respectful gesture his lips pulled up into a humor-filled smile and Sano held out the tray in offering. "I have brought your food and with it an invitation."

"Invitation?" Lifting the tray from his grasp automatically Kaoru looked to Misao for an explanation.

"We're going to an opera tonight!"

"We're what?"

"Hiko-sama said he was tired of seeing his idiot son in the office already." Sano waved a hand in the air and chuckled sardonically. "So he bought us all opera tickets and is planning on booting out Aoshi and Kenshin early tonight. Plus I think he was hoping to spend some time with his grandson."

"I don't get to go?" Kenji pouted slightly, his chin dropping into his chest as he sulked.

"Hey, kid. You're not missing anything." Bending down eye level Sano reasoned with him, his voice showing his disgust about having to go at all. "We'll have to sit in one spot for hours and listen to the same high pitched squealing while pretending that we like it and thinking about how we can't even understand half of what's going on. Then we'll have to tell everyone else around us about how wonderful it is and listen to them tell us about their favorite parts and on and on. It's really dull." Sano leaned forward and tweaked the boy on the nose. "You on the other hand are going to go ice skating and try twenty different flavors of ice cream and New York hotdogs and see every toy store in the city." Sighing in envy Sano dropped his head in dejection. "Man, I wish I was going with you but I'm stuck with chaperone duty." Jerking a finger over his shoulder at the two women he grinned when they both leveled glares at him.

"Who said we asked for it?"

"Now ladies, I didn't mean you." Scuttling around to duck behind Kenji, Sano grabbed both his shoulders and tried to keep himself from harm. "You know it's only going to be for the guys."

Kenji was giggling, his little hands waving to keep Kaoru and Misao from Sano's cowering form. But Kaoru was already laughing along, glad that Kenji was not going to be upset about missing out on the opera invitation. Especially since he hadn't got to spend much time with Kenshin either.

"Hey, not to be a pain but… what are we supposed to wear?" Misao tugged on Kaoru's sleeve, her face puzzled and anxious. "I don't know about you but I only brought the one dress for the New Year's Eve party. The rest of my clothes are purely casual."

"Yeah, you're right." Kaoru frowned her arms crossing.

"Hey, that's why I'm here." Sano stood up, his hands ducking into his slack's pockets. "Kenshin and Aoshi have both been feeling properly ashamed over their lack of time to spend with you three so they sent me to show you around and do a little shopping. This does include you as well, Kenji." Rubbing a hand over his head, Sano smiled softly at the boy's grin. "So eat up quick, get dressed, and let's party."

x

Late that same afternoon Kenshin smothered a sigh, his hand reaching into his pocket for the hundredth time to rub over the velvet texture of the jewelry box he was keeping there. He was finding it rather hard to focus his attention on the man talking, his voice thick like honey and just as sweet. Of course that was probably the point since he was trying to talk them into putting money into a new software that sounded a bit on the militaristic side. Vaguely he wondered if Hiko was still punishing him. Grinding his teeth on a yawn he dropped his eyes to his side, slipping his finger between the hinges of the box to peek at the gleam of white from within. _Kaoru is going to love these._ Smiling softly in affection, imagining the look of delight and surprise that would light her face, he jumped slightly when Aoshi cleared his throat next to him. Pulling violet eyes back up to the meeting he tugged his jacket forward to close the gap in the pocket and stood slowly.

"Right. I am very impressed by the amount of research you have put into this presentation and I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say we appreciate the time and work you have undertaken. Your idea is sound and has quite a bit of potential… unfortunately it is not an angle we wish to take in our business." Bowing respectfully Kenshin moved around the table to also shake hands with the man. "It was a pleasure having you here and it would please me greatly to hear more of your ideas in the future."

Kenshin left the room quickly, passing greetings along to those he met in the hallway. Ducking back inside Sano's office, hoping for a moment of reprieve, he was not surprised to find Aoshi had followed him.

"That was rather dull and pointless." Droll and far from amused Aoshi seated himself in one of the chairs opposite Sano's desk.

Kenshin let the yawn he had suppressed pull at his mouth, his weight plopping down into Sano's office chair. "What the hell was Hiko-sama thinking even letting that man in the building?" Relaxing his tense muscles he agreed with Aoshi's assessment, his hand once again slipping into his pocket to curl around the hard container.

"There will be nothing left of that box if you keep playing with it, baka." Thin lips twisted as Hiko walked into the room, his violet eyes narrowing. "And I had to have something to occupy your time while you were waiting for Sanosuke to show up. Otherwise you'd be eating up the new carpet."

Kenshin quirked a sardonic smile, his red brow lifting. "If I'm anxious it's your fault. I haven't had any time to spend with my son let alone with Kaoru since we arrived."

"And all I've heard from you is complaints about it since yesterday. I don't hear Shinomori-san complaining about having to do his job."

_That's because he gets to fall asleep beside his woman._ Feeling uncharacteristically petulant Kenshin pouted his lips, crossed his arms, and looked out the window. Hiko laughed so hard Kenshin was afraid he would hurt himself.

"Hey guys! What'd we miss?" Sano strode in with a duck of his body, making sure the boy on his shoulders didn't get hurt coming through the door-jam. Dropping the kid's backpack on the floor he stood to his full height and bounced on his heels so the boy would laugh.

Kenji was absolutely enjoying himself and looked the part of a kid having spent the entire day shopping. With a toy crown perched precariously on his head and an old 70s SS Chevelle clutched in one hand his eyes were lit with excitement and plenty of grams of sugar. Swinging the kid down off his shoulders Sano let go and watched the whirlwind take over the room. Running straight for his dad first Kenji grabbed one arm and bounced up and down.

"Daddy guess what! Uncle Sano bought me all kinds of neat toys! I've never seen anything like them! You know! Stuff we don't have at home! Some of them are silly but most of them are pretty cool! Like this four wheel thingy that I can't try until we get back home. You'll help me put it together, won't you? Then we went to this clothes place and bought things for Kaoru and Misao-san and it was kinda boring but Kaoru let me help her pick out her things so that was ok. And then we went to this place where they had all kinds of shiny rocks and Misao-san was all excited about this one. She said it was an-gage ring or something. She said she wouldn't mind having one but she thinks she will have to wait awhile." Kenshin held in a smile, his eyes darting to Aoshi where the man was studiously studying a speck of dirt under his fingernail. _Probably not as long as she thinks._ "Then they bought these cool ones for Uncle Sano to wear and look Daddy! They even bought me a pair!"

Confused for a second Kenshin watched with ignorant delight at his son's enthusiasm as he lifted both hands to his head and combed back his bangs with his fingers. Two bright flashes of light twinkled merrily back at Kenshin's violet gaze before recognition seeped in and the cool color turned hot. Face falling into abrupt anger Kenshin leaned forward swiftly to cup his fingers around the twin diamond studs attached to his son's ears.

"Sano! What the hell were you thinking!?" Amber irises lifting to the tall man Sano stumbled backwards, his hands waving in the air to avoid the lashing they promised.

"Hey, relax! They're just clip-ons!"

Brow furrowing, anger still present in his mind, Kenshin directed his gaze back to his son, tugged on the earrings in his grasp and watched in relief as they gave easily to drop into his palms.

"Kami-sama… you need to look into stress pills, or something." Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck at the near miss Sano let out a long breath.

"Well forgive me for not believing you could possibly show restraint." Still slightly snappy he held open his palms for Kenji to pluck out the jewels, his face stating he was unsure of what had just happened.

Cocking a grin Sano planted his hands in his pockets and spoke in a long drawl. "Oh I tried _Dad_, but Mom had already said no and there's no arguing with that woman."

Red brows furrowed at the way Kenji's muscles tightened under his hands and Kenshin shot a quick look to Sano in warning.

"Uh, I mean Kaoru-san didn't exactly approve of the idea either. Right, Kenji-chan? _Kaoru_-san said you were too young for something like that." Stepping forward to kneel down next to Kenji's figure Sano winced at how still the boy had gone.

Kenshin followed the slow movement of Kenji's head with bated breath, worried about the boy's reaction. He knew the boy looked to Kaoru as a motherly figure but so far he had not crossed that boundary into stating it aloud. At least not consciously. It was curious of the boy but then Kenshin wondered if there wasn't something holding him back. Perhaps something more that needed to be done, or said, or figured out in his child mind before he fully accepted Kaoru in that way. Saying such a thing aloud in front of him, as if the title had already been set without his input, Kenshin wondered if it wouldn't upset the boy.

Kenji looked slowly to his Uncle Sano, blue-violet eyes unwavering. _He said Mom, but he was talking about Kaoru-san. Does he know that she's my mom then?_ Studying the expression of worry and anxiety on the man's face Kenji blinked, then switched his eyes to his father. _But that wasn't supposed to happen. Uncle Sano's going to ruin everything if Dad catches on this soon._ Soft violet eyes were unreadable to his gaze and Kenji frowned at not being able to tell. _Uncle Sano tried to fix it though. So maybe if I play along Daddy won't notice just yet. _

"That's right. Kaoru-san said I can't until I'm older."

Kenshin let out a breath on a sigh, smiling at Kenji and patting him on the head. "We'll talk about it when you're older. That doesn't mean it's going to happen." Helping him back into the clipons Kenshin lifted the boy into his lap and hugged him when they were in place. "I don't exactly know how I feel about my son wearing jewelry."

"Uncle Sano wears them."

"Yeah well…" Darting a glare at Sano's laughing expression Kenshin leaned closer to Kenji as if to whisper a secret. "Your Uncle Sano's a little weird and they haven't exactly helped him get a girlfriend, either."

"Hey, I resent that. I've had several good looking lady's compliment me on my style."

"In what part of town?" Speaking up quietly from his own seat Aoshi lifted a dark brow at Sano's indignant reaction.

"Alright! Break it up." Hiko strode forward, his hands reaching to easily lift the boy from Kenshin's lap. "It's about time you guys started getting ready. I want you out of here as soon as possible so I can enjoy my time with my grandson."

Kenji grinned broadly, his arms circling around Hiko's neck. "Grandpa! Uncle Sano said we were going ice skating!"

"He did, did he?" Voices drifting away as they walked out the door, Kenshin smiled at Kenji's affirmative reply. "I would say it's possible."

"Alright." Slapping his hands together Sano backed toward the door himself. "Don't rush. You've got plenty of time. I've gotta run. Gotta get my own attire on an' everything. See ya at the hotel!"

"Sano!" Dark eyes peeked back into the room. "Did you do what I asked?"

"Stop worrying, Kenshin. I've got it all taken care of."

x

Kaoru and Misao giggled as the elevator took them to the ground floor, their hands fidgeting with each other's dresses and Sano's crisp looking suit. Sano smiled, amused with their actions and quite envious of the two men that were awaiting them in the lobby. Why didn't he have a wonderful woman to look forward to? _Might as well enjoy their attention while it lasts._

"Are you sure I look alright without any jewelry? I feel a little bare next to you." Kaoru once again lifted a hand to her unadorned neck, her fingers flexing on her collarbone at the absence of a chain.

"You look wonderful, Kaoru-chan." Reassuring her with a smile and giving Sano a wink when the other woman wasn't looking Misao tried hard not to play with her own necklace to bring it any attention. "Besides, it might just get in the way if Kenshin decides he wants access to your neck."

"Damn straight." Sano agreed, switching their jackets to one arm so he could throw the other around Kaoru's shoulders. "What man wants pieces of metal in his mouth when he's trying to nibble on his woman's collarbone?"

Blushing red Kaoru smacked at his arm, her hands planting themselves on her hips as she disapproved of their statements. "You two are horrible! We're going to an opera, not a movie theater."

Shrugging his shoulders Sano's grin stayed firmly in place. "It still gets dark in there."

"Mou!"

Misao and Sano laughed, Kaoru's giggles muffled as she bit her lip, both satisfied that they had successfully distracted her.

When the elevator finally dinged for the ground floor all three were in high spirits. The two women were glowing with it and Sano was grinning in his own crooked way as he handed off their jackets to a bellboy and twisted his arms through each of theirs. Strutting through the lobby, his new diamond studs flashing in the light, they earned quite a few amused looks from the other clientele. When they finally came within sight of the other two, Aoshi shook his head and Kenshin's shoulders quaked on a chuckle.

With hair spiked in an almost controlled fashion, his black, pointed dress shoes clicking on the marble tile, and the pin stripe on his suit making his stature even that much taller the man looked more like a clothing designer getting ready for the runway than a man going out to see an opera. Though the style seemed to fit him and Kenshin vaguely wondered if he hadn't been dressed up by the two women hanging off his arms. Especially since he could make out light blonde highlights in his hair.

"You two might just be out of luck tonight." Stopping in front of them Sano cocked his head to the side and pulled the girls closer. "These two have taken quite a liking to me. I might just have to keep 'em for myself." Both smacked him playfully and he laughed, untwining his hold on them and encouraging their progress forward. "Alright, show off your dresses and don't forget the coats I bought you."

Kaoru ginned over at Misao, her friend giving an impish look back. Reaching out simultaneously they tugged on his sleeves and brought him down eye level before planting a kiss on each cheek. "Arigato, Sanosuke-kun."

Spluttering in embarrassment, his face turning red, Sano backed up and nearly tripped over his own feet. "Well, I'll… uh… just wait outside then." Tipping the bellhop hurriedly and taking his jacket off his hands Sano quick stepped his way to the doors, the girls' light giggles causing him to duck his head and grin.

Kaoru's giggles deepened as Misao winked playfully and she let her eyes drift to Kenshin to see if he was amused by the spectacle as well. Dark irises were focused on her face, studying her features in such a way her mirth drift off into silence. Chewing slightly on her lip, her eyelashes flickering, she caught the tilt of his lips before his gaze dropped to glance over the rest of her.

The dress she wore was long and graceful, the train short, but playful. The cut molded over her figure, hugging just on her hips before flowing into an elegant skirt that danced and fluttered when she walked. The color was a rich purple that brought out the tints in her hair and the supple cream of her skin. Small beads and curls of embroidery stood out in darker shades down one side of her, trailing from the curve of one breast to circle her hip and back around into the train. Lighter stitches brought out the detail in pretty emphasis. There were no sleeves, leaving the smooth expanse of her shoulders bare and gleaming, only the long white of her dress gloves traveling tightly to her biceps giving any coverage to her arms. Her neck and her ears were bare as well and with her hair pulled up into an intricately loose knot on her head the fact was emphasized greatly.

Chest tight Kenshin reached a hand to brush over her chin, trembling when she leaned obligingly into his palm. "You look beautiful." Though it was the understatement of the year it still made her blush. Holding in a smile in sudden anticipation he effortlessly transitioned into the last stages of Sano and Misao's ruse. "But something's wrong, Kaoru-san." Frowning he let his hand drop to curl slightly around her neck. "Did you forget your jewelry?"

Insides quivering in hurt, Kaoru's mood dropped with his words. "D-does it not look right?" Her own hands came up as if to cover herself, her voice softly questioning in disbelief. _Misao and Sano said I looked better without any jewelry._

"No. It doesn't." There was the slightest trace of displeasure in his voice and it caused her blue irises to drop and her lip to tremble.

"I… I guess I should go back upstairs and find something to wear then. If you don't like it."

She turned but was slightly startled when he caught her by the arm, his other hand offering an opened case for her study. "Don't worry, koishii, I have something for you to wear."

Kaoru stared at the necklace and earring set, the style a combination of beautiful white pearls, delicately crafted silver settings, and small accentuating diamonds. Each of the pearls were perfect, their delicate beauty speaking of the wonders of the ocean. Frozen, her lungs constricted, her eyes widened and she bit her lip as she reached to touch them. "They're beautiful, but…" Casting a quick look at Kenshin she blinked in astonishment. "They're not for me… are they?"

"Who else would they be for?" Teasing her with a light chuckle he moved her hands to hold the case while he removed the necklace. Carefully slipping the length around her neck he deftly fastened the ends together, letting his hands drift to her shoulders as he spoke in her ear. "I remember you telling me about the other set that you have. About how they really belong to your mother and were a gift from your father. I thought you might like to have a set of your own."

"Thank you." Blushing, her lips twitching at the soft kiss he planted below her ear, she fingered the pearls in delight. In three places the pearls were interrupted by the curved silver settings and diamonds, two by her collarbones and the third directly set in the middle where it lay against her sternum. This setting was the biggest and from it hung five dangling pearls with three diamonds pairing with the longer middle three.

Misao smiled up at Aoshi, grinning at the exchange of the other couple. Blushing under his blatant admiration she took a step back and did a slow circle to show off the swish of her own long skirt. Contrasting Kaoru she wore black because she knew that Aoshi preferred it. Fitting and willowy the dress shimmered with each glance of light, showing off her dancer like figure. Like Kaoru her shoulders were bare, only the bright sparkles of her diamond necklace breaking the length of skin. Unlike Kaoru she wore no gloves, her dress sporting tight bands across each bicep, the off-the-shoulder sleeves cute on her petite personage. Even in high heels she barely reached Aoshi's chest.

Aoshi couldn't stop his hand from lifting to her face, his fingers brushing over skin as if in disbelief that he could. He said nothing of his feelings, though with her he knew he wouldn't have to. Misao was practically beaming under his regard alone. And with the way she was biting her lip he knew she could read more than he was hoping to show.

Letting out a long breath Aoshi stepped up beside her and offered a hand to take Misao's coat from the bellhop. Lifting a brow at the fur concoction that was dropped into his grip he listened to Misao's giggles and knew that she had expected the reaction.

"Sano bought them both for me and Kaoru. He said they were a gift." Fingering the dark fur lining fondly Misao lifted the look to Aoshi and shrugged her shoulders. "He said we'd freeze in these dresses so we might as well have something warm."

As Aoshi helped Misao into the black, fur cape Kenshin retrieved Kaoru's and softly wrapped it around her shoulders. Since Misao had chosen black to match her dress, the fur rich and velvety like sin, Kaoru had decided on something lighter and more fitting to her own dress. Supple and smooth the gentle grey of her fur lining went well with the deep purple of her outfit.

Sano was waiting for them by the car when they exited, his feet bouncing him forward to open the door for the couples and bow them playfully in. Situated once again with the couples in the back and Sano sitting up front with the driver, Kaoru occupied herself with pinning the long earrings to her lobes. Dangly, since she liked them that way, they swung from her ears with only a single pearl on the end of a silver and diamond design that matched the two smaller settings of her necklace. Smiling over at Kenshin when he reached to play with one, vying for her attention, she blushed to show her pleasure and carefully wrapped a finger around the necklace.

There was just something about pearls she had always found appealing, preferring them to the gold and diamonds of other jewelry. Because once, a long time ago, her father had told her how much pearls reminded him of her mother. And when asked why he quietly explained that where diamonds sparkled… pearls glowed.

x

"What ya got there, boy?" Hiko leaned forward on his couch, the TV screen illuminating the room and the child sprawled out on the floor. Feet kicking in the air distractedly Kenji's little hands guided his colored pencils skillfully over the page in front of him. At only five Hiko marveled at the artistic talent this young boy was beginning to show.

"I'm drawing a picture." Stated matter-of-factly Kenji switched the bright red pencil in his hand for a pretty blue.

"Oh yeah? Of what?"

"Of Mommy and Daddy and me."

Hiko's dark eyes went soft, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Is that so?"

"Yep. I got another one with everybody. You and Uncle Sano and Uncle Aoshi and Yahiko-nii and Misao-san and…"

Hiko slid off the couch as the list continued to include everyone the boy knew and took in the pages strewn across the floor. Lifting one carefully that was half-hidden behind another he angled it in the light to study its main theme. Similar to the one he was working on the page had three figures, Kenji and Kenshin and the other he knew to be Kaoru from her dark hair and bright blue irises. It was the small figure that was held in her arms, though, that gave him pause. Along with its bright tuft of red hair.

"And who's this, Kenji-chan?" Pointing for reference his eyebrows drew together when Kenji grinned.

"Oh, that's my little brother. He's not here yet, but as soon as Daddy lets Mommy stay with us all the time I'm going to ask for him."

Bursting into laughter, Hiko braced his back against the couch and pulled the boy into his lap. "You are an amusing little thing." Kenji's smile was more than a little confused but Hiko couldn't help his amusement. _I don't think I really need to ask where he got this idea. Not with the way he was killing me with questions when we saw that mother and her baby in the park._

"Is that not ok?" Worried, Kenji picked up the drawling himself, his blue-violet eyes wavering with uncertainty.

"That's just fine, Kenji-chan. But maybe you should wait a little longer than you think."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. I'm sure you won't have to wait too long." More laughter shook his chest as Hiko placed the boy back on the floor and stood to get them something to snack on.

x

Both Misao and Kaoru left the opera house excited and breathless, chattering animatedly about their favorite parts. Kenshin, Aoshi, and Sano walked closely behind them, amused by their innocence and youth. It was late and dark in the heavens, but the streets were still lit with mechanical light and were empty for the most part as the rush of bodies going to and from work were already in some kind of other occupation for the evening. Sighing at the chance to finally be outside of a building, free somewhat in the more open space, Kenshin quietly suggested they take a short walk before making their way over to Hiko's to pick up his son.

Kaoru agreed readily, her arm slipping through his as she stepped up beside him. Misao responded in kind, stepping up quietly to Aoshi's side, her lips smiling when his arm curled protectively around her. They spoke at intervals to one another, the stillness of the group carrying the main weight as they each enjoyed the crisp air of night.

"This city really is beautiful, Kenshin. But I still prefer home."

"I agree. It is nice to visit but I would not like living here."

"It isn't so bad once you get used to it." Sano spoke up from the back, his eyes lifting to the buildings stretching above them to the red haze of the sky. "But yeah… sometimes I miss home."

"You can always come back and visit us, Sano-san." Kaoru smiled over her shoulder, her words warm.

Sano laughed. "I might just do that. Maybe I can catch me a girl just as cute as you two."

The girls giggled, Kenshin's chuckles appreciative, and even Aoshi smiled though his was more for the woman laughing next to him. Caught in the moment and happily sharing their companionship, the little group froze when somebody else's laughter joined in.

"Look at this boys. We've got ourselves a right little bunch of tourists. And foreign to boot." A rough looking man stepped out from around the corner of the alley they were approaching, four more following after. "Since they're new we should probably let them in on the rules around here."

Kenshin felt something cold settle in the pit of his stomach. Slowly so as not to insight trouble, he lifted an arm to push Kaoru behind him, seeing out of his peripheral vision that Aoshi had already done the same.

"Rule number one: No walking around late at night without a chaperone." The man held up one finger, the others laughing mockingly. "Rule number two: If you must walk around alone make sure you know how to defend yourself or you just might find yourself in a similar situation. And rule number three: If you can't follow rules one and two make sure you have enough money to bribe your way out of said situation or you just might get hurt."

Kenshin's lips twisted. Of course they would want money. Why else would they approach a group such as theirs. Only, he didn't know about Sano and Aoshi but he didn't carry cash on him. Not many people he knew did anymore. Violet eyes darted briefly to ice blue, watching Aoshi nod in understanding.

"Hey! You should really think about looking at someone when they're talking to you. I just might take it as an insult if you don't."

"It is money you want then." Cool and undisturbed, almost maddeningly calm, Aoshi's voice broke through the night. The man laughed again, his head turning to the others to share the mirth as they scoffed.

"No man we wanted your ridiculous clothes. Yeah we want money. All ya got. Now hand it over and we won't be forced to get physical."

"There is no need for that. We are prepared to cooperate. Unfortunately, we do not carry cash on us but if you would be willing to take a short walk we would easily be able to acquire some for you." As if he were conducting a business transaction Aoshi spoke in his best persuasive tone, his hand waving casually through the air. "All I ask is you let our friend escort the two women back to our hotel. They are only our guests and do not need to be subjected to any transactions between us."

Sano already had an arm around each of them, his face grim as he watched the scene critically. Thin lips frowned when the leader shook his head sadly, his tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth.

"No money you say? Now that won't do." Signaling with a finger he pointed at the women behind them. "Sorry fellas, the ladies are going nowhere. That pretty little pearl necklace'll fetch a fine price." Kaoru took an instinctive step back, her hand going to her throat to protect the piece of jewelry. "And what we don't get out of that to pay for your fee we'll just take from the rest of them. I'm sure there's plenty more valuables under them long skirts."

Ringing, high and shrill blocked out all other sound as the blood pumping in his ears was almost painful and Kenshin reacted on instinct alone when the first flunky stepped around him to reach for Kaoru. He was surprised at how good it felt when his fist connected with the man's jaw, a sickening crack suggesting a severe concussion when his head ricocheted off the brick building. Amber eyes lifting to the leader of their would-be muggers Kenshin took a step forward and ignored the others. He trusted Aoshi and Sano to handle them for him.

Kaoru watched unblinking as the man who had been talking pulled a knife from out of his pocket, his hand swishing the bright blade through the air menacingly. Kenshin's body seemed to sway, his movements precise and graceful as he dodged the weapon with practiced ease. Biting her lip painfully she grasped Misao's hands when they found hers, the two worried and frightened for their men yet unable to act to help as restrained as they were by their clothing.

Light flashed a third time as the man slashed out at Kenshin's torso and before Kaoru could gasp one of Kenshin's hands locked around the man's wrist, twisted and he was disarmed. Within the space of a breath Kenshin had the man on the ground, arms bent painfully in the wrong direction and a knee pressed harshly into his sternum.

"I give, man! I give! I'm sorry! Just let me go!"

Something foul spit from between Kenshin's teeth and Kaoru's eyes went wide, watching in horror as his shoulder pulled back and his fist connected squarely with the man's jaw. One horrible, choking cough issued from the mugger's throat, blood spitting up onto the sidewalk and yet the anger swallowing Kenshin's mind would not let up. Unable to think of anything but the direct threat made to someone he found precious his fist recoiled and he punched him again. And again. And again.

"Kenshin… Hey man! You're gonna kill him!" Sano took a step forward, the other thieves having already run or lying unconscious on the sidewalk. Dark brown eyes were narrowed in concern, unsure of how to handle the unstable rage on his boss' face.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru's voice threaded through the dark street, soft and uncertain, barely tangible above the sharp popping of flesh on flesh. "Please let him go." Briefly his eyes darted to her. "Please. He's not going to hurt anybody now." Arm poised halfway in the air, his other hand fisted in his shirt, amber eyes slid from her to look down at the man. Pupils unfocused, face bruised and puffy, Kenshin didn't have to look too hard to know he was unconscious and had been for some time. Letting him go in one violent motion he stood, his head angled down and away from prying eyes.

"Forgive me." Voice curt and still full of anger, Kaoru couldn't help the tear that dropped from her lashes, nor could she stop the feeling of surety in her chest that said Kenshin was the one that needed comforted right now. Taking a quick step forward, her hand already reaching, she flinched when Sano cut off her progress with arms spread wide.

"Why don't we just go wait in the car?" Ushering the two women back down the street, Sano was grateful when Misao planted a firm hand on Kaoru's shoulder and killed her rising protests. He didn't think he wanted to find out how badly this woman could fight to get what she wanted. Not after hearing about her sword style from Kenshin all that week.

Alone on the street Aoshi eyed his boss' back, his eyelids falling on a sigh. Grasping a hand around the wrist of the man lying unconscious on the sidewalk he gripped a second one in a similar fashion and drug them around the corner of the alley. Unceremoniously dropping them atop one another Aoshi left them there and returned to the open street. The other three were already long gone. Kenshin was busy fitting the blade of the knife in a crevice along the wall, his eyes still bleeding a dangerous gold. Satisfied that it was wedged well he brought his hand down harshly on the hilt, listening to the metal snap with ease. Tossing the two ends down the gutter Kenshin stood on the curb, his teeth grinding. Shaking his hand free of the stinging buzz in his nerves he frowned down at his swollen knuckles before shoving both hands roughly in his pockets.

Sighing heavily Kenshin closed his eyes when Aoshi stepped up next to him, his solid presence silent but full of meaning.

"… Did I frighten her?"

"She was scared."

No maybes, no uncertainty, but no assumptions. That was why Kenshin liked Aoshi. He was a good friend and a good business partner. Blunt and straightforward he did not take the time to save feelings. He did not see the use in it.

Jaw flexing, his emotions indistinguishable, Kenshin didn't know whether to scream at the sky or give into the depression that was tightening his chest. What Aoshi did not say was obvious. Kaoru was not scared of much, and if she was scared now who was to say she would get over that fear. _Kaoru is a strong woman but the teachings of her father are strictly against the killing of another human being. That I would almost commit such an act in front of her, even if it was to protect her, must be weighing heavily on her mind. I can only hope that she will not shun me now for the actions my anger can lead me to._

"We should get back to the car. They will be waiting for us."

The car was where they had left it, the engine humming softly and the dark windows giving no view to the inside. Climbing in hesitantly Kenshin took in the placements of the others quickly and with no small amount of anxiety. For once the privacy window was up, separating them from the driver up front. Kaoru and Misao sat together in the middle seat and Sano's lanky frame was situated next to them. One long arm was thrown over the back of the seat, his dark irises subdued when he glanced up. Misao was leaning into Kaoru, her head braced on her shoulder as she offered her friend silent comfort. Between them Kaoru sat with her head bowed, her eyes focused on her knees as her fingers played absentmindedly with the pearls around her throat. She did not look up.

Parked outside of the building where Hiko and Sano lived Kenshin climbed out, holding open the door for Sano and Kaoru as they both ducked out themselves. Misao and Aoshi elected to stay in the car. Still unsure Kenshin walked behind the other two, letting Sano escort Kaoru through the halls to Hiko's front door. It was close to midnight so they knocked lightly, Kaoru afraid of waking up Kenji if he was, like she suspected, already sleeping. Hiko opened the door with a sleepy yawn, causing Kaoru's smile to widen into a brief grin, and he waved them inside.

"He's only been asleep for a couple hours so I'm sure he'll be fine sleeping through the night. He nearly ran me ragged." Chuckling affectionately, all three men stopped by the door to watched as Kaoru continued forward to the oversized couch where Kenji's small form was resting on its cushions.

Studying her subdued expression as she picked up the boy's things scattered about and resituated them in his bag Hiko frowned. Something had happened to upset her. Something that had to do with his son's bright amber irises.

"Did you two have a fight, baka?" Casting his voice low Hiko leaned into the wall behind him, his stance stating he did not like the notion.

"No."

"I doubt she's upset for no reason."

Sighing Sano scratched a hand through his hair. "A group of thugs tried to mug us. They threatened her and Misao-san when we told 'em we don't carry cash."

Dark eyes narrowed, then turned to the stiff form of his adopted son. "And you let that anger get the best of you, didn't you?" The absence of a response spoke all that Hiko needed to know. "I don't have to tell you that she will not appreciate such violence. Not with the way she was raised."

"I know."

"I have tried to help you with this before. You let your anger control you. You don't think through your actions and you make mistakes because of it." Voice softening further Hiko leaned in close to whisper his next words. "I can see that she loves you and your son, but she will not be able to live with your anger if you cannot learn to control it. Keep this in mind because this woman is the one you need to hang on to."

"… I know." His voice this time was slightly desperate and more like the child he had first been when Hiko had adopted him. Sighing, Hiko placed a hand on his shoulder. _And that was what prompted your actions in the first place, wasn't it son? Because you are afraid of losing her._

Kaoru placed the full bag next to the couch, settling her weight on the edge carefully as she brushed red hairs out of darker lashes. With her dress gloves removed her fingers were no longer as clumsy and confined as they had felt for most of the evening. The freedom of movement allowed her to follow the aching feeling of love as it guided her. He was so beautiful, just like his father, and more than ever she felt an empty need inside of her, a want to be something so much more permanent and meaningful in his blue-violet eyes. It was a longing that contrasted the emotion she felt when she was with Kenshin, like black and white. Though sometimes she could not tell which was the stronger.

The love she had developed for the child was protective and affectionate. A need to comfort and assure; to enjoy and laugh; to love and be loved. Anger was quick to come in the face of his injury, while sympathy was just as easy to find with his tears. Sometimes she felt guilty, as she found herself ignoring Kenshin in favor of the child, but he never seemed to mind. Not really. Of course, he was the true father, and he knew everything and more about what it took to raise and love a child as needed. She was still so new to the experience that she wondered at times if she was babying him too much. But that was just it, she wanted to. To give him everything, to show him the love of a mother since it had been denied him for so long.

Delicately weaving her hands underneath his body she braced his weight to lift him into her arms, leaning into the motion to cause as little disturbance to his small body as possible. Standing in one fluid motion, his bag going over her other shoulder, she stopped and smiled when he stirred.

"It's alright, Kenji, it's just me." Soft and soothing she smoothed a hand up his back in reassurance, cuddling him closer when he relaxed back in apparent relief.

Hand rubbing half-heartedly over his eyes he yawned and snuggled his face into the crevice of her neck. "Are we going home now, Mommy?"

Kaoru felt the breath freeze in her throat, her eyes widening at the painful ball of emotion tangling in her chest: elation; surprise; the beautiful fulfillment of her motherly heart. Darting her gaze quickly to the men still standing by the door she noticed with some relief that they were still caught in their own conversation. Eyelids sliding closed to enjoy the moment in peace she hugged the boy tighter, a small tear sliding slowly down her cheek.

"That's right, sweetheart, we're going back to the hotel."

Another soft sigh. "Yatta."

_Yes, sweetie. I agree. Yatta._


	9. Bad Dreams

Disclaimer: Don't look at me like that. I had nothing to do with it.

**Chapter 9: Bad Dreams **

Kaoru grinned at the hotdog vendor when he threw in an extra hotdog just because Kenji was being so damn cute. Urging him softly to thank the man properly, teaching him the correct words so he would understand, Kaoru beamed with pride when he only stumbled over the English pronunciation slightly. It took the man a second to understand fully, as the boy's speech was heavily accented, but he too was soon smiling and nodding, waving them off as they left.

Kenshin followed after them at a sedate pace, his eyes lowered and his presence clouded in thought. They still had not spoken of what had happened the night before and Kaoru was beginning to worry. She wasn't sure if she needed to be the one to bring it up or if she should wait for him. Because of her own indecision it was now already late in the afternoon and they were getting nowhere.

They had even spent the entire day together. Since Kenshin did not have to work and Misao and Aoshi had expressed their wish to spend a day to themselves they had gone out to see the town. Bypassing the use of the limo Kenshin had instead called a cab to take them out to their starting point and from there they had walked, since it was by far the quickest way to travel in New York City. Breakfast had been spent at the hotel, lunch at a quick pizza place, and then up and down the streets, sightseeing and enjoying the strange atmosphere. Wandering the park at present with Kenji leading the way, Kaoru sighed slowly and cast a glance over her shoulder. Kenshin had spoken only rarely and Kaoru had been forced to keep up the enthusiasm for Kenji's sake. She did not want Kenshin's attitude catching onto the boy and dragging him down as well.

_It's going to have to be me, but we can't talk about it now in front of Kenji._ Chewing her lip and thinking she smiled when Kenji turned, his hand offering the second hotdog. Laughing and taking it away she teased him about his inability to finish both like he had bragged he could.

"You and Daddy can share it."

Smile softening she rubbed her free hand over his hair. "Thank you, Kenji-chan. You're so generous."

That was another thing that she had discovered in the morning. Kenji had refrained from calling her "Mommy" like he had the evening before and she was beginning to wonder if the boy hadn't let it slip without knowing. Unsure of his reasoning or why he would keep such a thing to himself she reminded herself that he was just a child and she needed to be patient. He would come to his own decisions in his own due time. Meanwhile she had a moody father to deal with.

Slowing her stride she dropped back to Kenshin's side, ignoring his brief glance and the way his head tilted sadly away. Lifting the hotdog to her mouth she took a tentative bite, having never tasted one before. It was different and the flavors ran over her tongue, demanding her attention, but it wasn't bad. Lowering it from her face she turned to Kenshin, food in offering, and slipped her free hand in his.

"Do you want a bite?"

At first his hand twitched as if to jerk away and Kaoru tightened hers slightly to show she was not about to let go. Then his violet eyes met hers, soft and probing. She smiled, her blue eyes blinking innocently back but behind her bid to include him in the fun there was a pleading insistence that he let her in. She did not want their relationship to continue on this way.

"They're really good, Daddy." Kenji's input was accompanied by his fingers wrapping around his father's other hand, his own smiling eyes looking up at him. Shaking his head and smiling at the way they could so easily gang up on him he leaned forward and obligingly let Kaoru feed him. "Well? Do you like it?"

Chewing up and swallowing the last bit in his mouth Kenshin reassured Kenji that he did, his hand tugging gently away to ruffle his hair. Looking back up when Kaoru laughed, his brows instinctively drew together when he noticed her mirth was directed at him. "What?" Shaking her head she dug in her pocket for one of the napkins and promptly lifted it to his face.

"Really, Kenshin. You're worse than Kenji is. You've got mustard all over the side of your mouth." Pulling back the white paper she showed him the smear of yellow at its center, her eyes teasing and laughing.

"Maybe I was just hoping you would clean it off for me."

Kaoru's grin widened, her eyes closing in contentment. _At least he's somewhat back to normal._

Finishing up the rest of the hotdog, Kenshin demanding that he get to feed it to Kaoru since he was sure it was her fault it got all over his face, they continued their round of the park. Finding a trash can to throw away their garbage, Kaoru dusted off her hands and promptly tangled one with Kenshin's. Somewhere in her mind she knew that if she let him go for more than a few seconds his mood would plummet until they got back to the hotel. She couldn't allow that because she wanted him to know that she didn't love him any less. She was just terribly confused and slightly unsure.

She'd heard stories of the man's intensity and his dangerous personality but yesterday she had witnessed something she didn't truly think her beloved was capable of. Yes she knew he practiced a lethal sword style, yes she knew he could probably protect himself better than she ever could, but her naïve eyes had never encountered such anger and single-minded rage. In those few moments Kenshin had seemed ready to kill a man just for threatening her. What was worse, she really didn't know if she could have handled that.

_Let's be truthful, Kamiya, you wouldn't have been able to. As much as Kenshin means to me I don't think… any of this would ever have been the same._ Taking an unsteady breath she glanced over at Kenshin, his eyes intent as he searched her expression. _I'll just have to make sure he's never put in such a position again because I don't want to be apart from him. Plus… he needs to understand that I can take care of myself just fine._

"Kaoru… I really am sorry."

Blue eyes softened, her hand lifting to brush his bangs out of his face. "I know you are, Kenshin." Realizing their setting was entirely too public Kaoru planted a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Let's talk about it later, okay? I just want you to be happy right now."

"Alright." Hand slipping around the nap of her neck, he leaned his forehead into hers, breathing deeply through his nose. "Later then."

x

Kaoru was extremely relieved when Kenshin no longer tried to pull away from her. Instead his hold became tight and his eyes slightly desperate. Now that he knew she was not going to completely shun him for the night before, his attempts to apparently win her over had redoubled. He was back to that adorably earnest man that only wished to please and Kaoru made a point to reward him every chance she could. Either with chaste hugs at random or stolen kisses when Kenji wasn't looking.

By late in the evening he was once more the Kenshin she knew and loved, his energy falling into keeping his son happy and enjoying her responses to his teasing. Unfortunately she realized it was probably most of the reason for her current predicament and she acknowledged with a wry smile that they would not get the chance to talk about much until the next day. With Kenji's small form tucked comfortably into the crook of his arm and chest, Kenshin lay out on the couch in their hotel suite, his exhausted form sleeping off the activities of the day as well as much of the week.

Smiling in adoration Kaoru carefully untangled the boy from his lax grip to take him to his own bed. Limp and worn out the boy didn't protest but for a few unintelligible noises that rubbed against his throat. Kissing him softly and wishing him a good night Kaoru tucked him into the blankets and left him to rest. Shutting the door softly behind her she let her feet take her back out to the living area and her other snoozing red-head. Staring down at his relaxed figure she bit her lip, unable to think of what to do with him. He was much too heavy for her to carry and she really didn't want to wake him. Sighing and kneeling on the floor she brushed red hair out of his eyes before pillowing her head on her arms.

He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. The muscles in his face were inert and his being was tranquil. Studying him as he was now it was hard for her to believe that he could knowingly hurt anyone. Lifting a hand to once again play with his hair she contemplated the notion fully, unsure if she could truly believe it at all. _I really don't believe he was willing to kill that man. He was just upset. I could tell that by the way his shoulders stiffened and his head fell forward. I've seen that reaction from him before and I know that's his way of trying to hide it. I doubt he would have done anything if they hadn't attacked first so it's not like he enjoys violence. He was just… scared._

Eyes softening Kaoru carefully cupped her palm around his cheek, her voice a whisper as she gave reassurance. "Kenshin no baka. I don't want to lose you either." Briefly his brows pulled together, his face twitching in irritation, then he sighed, his nose nuzzling further into the cushion beneath him. Smiling again she kissed him softly on the forehead and moved to stand. Ducking quietly into his room she grabbed him a blanket and tucked him in before slipping into her own room to sleep.

x

The world around him was peaceful and lazy and the absence of noise from the surrounding streets he trekked upon did not trouble Kenshin. Smiling tenderly, his hand gripped Kaoru's as she walked beside him. Deep sapphire irises lifted to meet his gaze, their depths glowing with happiness and she squeezed his hand back.

"I have a surprise for you, Kenshin."

His smile widened, his heartstrings twanging tenderly in his chest. "What's that, koishii?"

Pink lips turned up shyly and a blush darkened her features as she dropped her eyes to her stomach. Carefully she situated his hand over its round bulge, the size suggesting she had been pregnant for closer to six months than that of her just finding out. This logic did not startle him, however, and he closed his eyes in contentment as he leaned his head into hers.

Two smaller hands joined theirs and Kenshin opened his eyes to see Kenji standing in front of them. His face showed his joy at the idea of a younger sibling, his tongue speaking his excitement out loud. Pride and elation rising further within his mind Kenshin bent to pick his son up, his free hand once again curling around Kaoru's, and they proceeded forward.

Unexpectedly the world darkened, a flash of light and a crack of thunder suggesting a storm to come. Adjusting Kenji's weight in his arms Kenshin gripped Kaoru's hand tighter and quickened his pace, suddenly anxious knowing that she would not be able to move too fast because of her condition. Within a few short seconds the rain came, pouring down upon them and making it harder to see the sidewalk ahead. A whimper near his ear told of his son's anxiety and Kenshin's heart ached at the sound. Turning a corner, hoping the small alley would lead them somewhere drier, Kenshin stumbled when Kaoru's hand was abruptly torn from his.

Arms instinctively wrapping around Kenji in protection, he turned, desperate to see what had happened to her. Freezing at the sight he found, Kenshin felt the cold soak into his bones and tighten his shoulders in fear. Standing opposite of him was a man, his outline dark and his presence powerful. The only visible detail about his appearance was his bright green irises. What was the most startling, however, was Kaoru's frozen form in his arms, her own eyes wide in terror.

Held tightly against her throat, its blade sharp and reflecting the light, was a weapon that looked almost hungry to spill her blood. Kenshin's voice shouted out in alarm, Kaoru cried back pleadingly, and the man smiled sickeningly before he yanked the steel knife harshly across her soft neck. Then, without warning or any telling sign, the green eyed-demon simply disappeared.

Horrified, his insides petrified in shock, Kenshin sat Kenji hurriedly on his feet, commanding him to stay and flinching away from the tears rolling thickly down his cheeks. Tripping in his haste he knelt next to Kaoru's bleeding figure, his hands ripping at his shirt to stop the blood spurting from the wound gapping open in her neck. Tears of rage and sorrow mixed with the rain on his cheeks and as she gasped and wheezed for air he watched as one trembling hand slid slowly over her pregnant belly.

"Kaoru… you can't leave me. You can't leave us. Kenji needs his mother."

Dark eyelashes quivered and she smiled tremulously, unable to speak for the pain.

Through the pounding of the rain another cry rent the night and Kenshin jumped and spun to find Kenji missing. Eyes darkening further he caught a flash of dark hair whipping around a corner up ahead, laughter ringing through the air.

"Kenji…" Moving as if to stand, he turned back to Kaoru, torn between the two, but glazed blue irises told him everything as her lips struggled to convey her wishes.

"K-ken…ji…"

Nodding his head in understanding, Kenshin rose regretfully. "I'll come back, koishii. I promise."

Running through the shadows and rain, his movements nearing hysteria, Kenshin searched for his son and the demon who had stolen him. No matter how hard he ran, though, or how far went there was nothing to be found; no trace; no clue; no scent or trail. Legs shaking and lungs heaving Kenshin stopped to brace a hand on a wall, failure sinking into the pit of his stomach. Rapping his fists angrily into the brick, the rough texture biting deeply into his flesh, he forced his legs to take him the last few steps to another corner. On the other end of the alley stood a woman he had hated for five years, his son's frightened form held tightly in her arms.

"Tomoe." His voice lowered to a growl, his eyes deepening into angry gold. "Put down my son."

The same maddening laughter rang through his mind and her flat black eyes taunted him. "But he's my son too, _anata._"

Rage burst within him, an irrational denial to her claim blackening his thoughts and killing his reason. Fatigue forgotten, he shot forward once more but she had already disappeared.

Rushing out into crushing darkness of the other end of the alley, Kenshin darted his eyes around futilely only to miss his step. One foot connecting with something heavy and solid he just barely caught his weight before he landed across a limp body in the road. Trembling in torment Kenshin stared into the lifeless blue eyes of the corpse, a pool of blood encircling her shoulders.

"Kaoru…" But there was no answer. His beloved had already left this world, alone and in pain with her small hand still curled softly over her round belly. And now his son was gone as well.

Limbs quaking, eyelids clenching, Kenshin screamed his pain to the world.

x

Ruthlessly his consciousness was slammed back into reality, his mind still wallowing in anger and pain as his eyes shot open to the dark of his hotel suite. Arms jerking, legs kicking, he struggled in panic with the blanket that entangled him. Breath short, it pushed from his lungs in one quick burst when he overbalanced and landed on the floor. Equilibrium swaying back into his body sickeningly, Kenshin lay on his stomach, vaguely realizing that he needed to calm down. Hurt and desperation were bright within him, however, and they only fueled his actions as he fought his way to his feet and across the room to his son's door.

Inside Kenji's form lay on his bed, peaceful and unharmed. His features were relaxed, unafraid and trusting; knowing that he was well loved and well protected. Taking one steadying breath, reassured that his son was fine and content where he was, Kenshin quietly closed the door and leaned against its wooden support. The fear had not disappeared completely, though.

That anxiety balled in his throat and tickled at his eyes. It churned his stomach as his mind denied any and all thoughts of going back to sleep for fear of what other dreams would haunt him. He needed something that would comfort him and take those feelings away. He wanted to know, just like his son knew, that he was safe and protected.

He needed to see Kaoru. If only to watch her breathe.

Navigating the dark space of the living area he let himself into her room slowly, his eyes searching the unfamiliar layout for her form on the bed. Breath shaky in his lungs as her scent enveloped him, he closed the door softly and stepped hesitantly forward. Like his son she slept soundly, certain in her safety. Silky hair fell gently into her face, her relaxed fingers rested on the pillow beside her, and her parted lips puffed moist air into the space above.

Vividly the image of her lifeless eyes staring into him flashed behind his retinas and his breath caught. Squeezing his nails into his palms, he fought the sob that worked at his throat as he fell to his knees next to her bed. _I can't lose you, koishii. You're all Kenji and I really have. All the money means nothing to me. Not if I'm alone._ Fighting his spiraling emotions, not wishing to wake her, he stood quickly to leave and planted an ungraceful kiss on her jaw just for the moment of contact it would provide.

Kaoru awoke to a smell she generally associated with Kenshin and smiled instinctively. When the soft press of his lips suddenly accompanied it her heart jumped in pleasure and she parted her lashes lazily. _It's not morning already, is it?_ Suppressing a yawn she blinked at the dark interior of her room and then jumped when a vague shadow stepped away from the side of her bed.

"Kenshin?" The figure froze and she sat up sluggishly. "Mmm… what's going on?" Stretching her muscles as she spoke, she rubbed at one eye before a thought crashed through her brain. "Is Kenji alright?"

There was a pause before, "He's just fine."

The strained note in his voice jerked at her chest and she pulled the blankets away from her legs so she could stand. "Kenshin…" Lightly she placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to look at her. "Is there something else wrong?"

"No." Even as he spoke the denial his arms were wrapping tightly around her, coaxing her body closer. His voice was rougher now, not with anger, but as if he were struggling against sorrow.

"You can tell me, Kenshin." His head shook against her shoulder, not wanting to share. Frowning, she lifted her arms to return the embrace, one hand unconsciously smoothing over his hair. "If you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't help you fix it." Voice soothing and undemanding she whispered her words in his ear, saddened by the way his body trembled against her.

"I… I had a bad dream."

Compassion overwhelmed her and her grip tightened briefly. He was battling back tears now. Closing her eyes she leaned her head into his, wanting to comfort. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." One heaving breath spoke more than his words and Kaoru's lips quivered as he cried silently into her shoulder. She could feel him fight it, his muscles jerking under her hands, and it only increased her anxiety.

"It's alright, Kenshin. It was just a dream. It wasn't real." His arms crushed her closer to him and she sighed sympathetically.

"It felt real, koishii."

"But it wasn't, ne? You're fine now." Kissing him gently, she combed her fingers through his hair. "You're safe."

_Safe._ Kenshin sighed as the thought drifted through his tired brain and he leaned more of his weight on Kaoru's strong shoulders. It felt truly wonderful to be able to depend on someone else for comfort. As her hands smoothed up and down his back and over his hair to tangle by his neck, he wondered if this was what Kenji felt like when he was held in her arms. Warm, loved, comfortably aware that she was watching attentively over his well-being. Effectively calmed by her presence, his grip loosened and his eyelashes parted to stare down the length of her braid.

"I'm sorry for waking you, koishii."

Laughing softly as his voice became contrite, Kaoru pulled back to cup his face in her hands. "I don't mind, Kenshin." Wiping tenderly at the traces of moisture on his skin, she felt her heart squeeze at how adorably child-like he looked in that one moment. "I like that you came to me for comfort."

Kenshin blinked at the darkness that spread across her cheeks in the shadowed light; how her eyes lowered to the floor. She wanted him to come to her in such situations. She wanted to be the one to comfort him when he was upset. Leaning his cheek into hers he smiled and closed his eyes as he was overwhelmed with happiness. "Thank you." Suddenly he swayed and Kaoru's strong arms were once again bracing him.

"Kenshin! Really! Sit down before you fall down." He chuckled lightly at her chiding tone and obligingly sat down on her bed. "You should be sleeping, Kenshin. You know we have a long day tomorrow."

"I know, but…" Falling into her shoulder when she was seated next to him, he ignored her sound of surprise and wrapped his arms around her torso instead. "I had such a horrible dream, koishii." Leaning more of his weight into her and forcing her to lie down, he cuddled into her side and closed his eyes with a sad sigh. "and we haven't had the chance to speak of what happened the other night."

Kaoru echoed his sigh as his voice trailed off into silence, adjusting her arm to a more comfortable position as her beloved pillowed his temple in the crook of her shoulder. Somehow she still found it amazing that he could trick her so easily into these intimate arrangements, but her thoughts were more amused than irritated. Especially after finding him in such an upset state when she had awoken.

Sapphire irises stared blindly up at the black ceiling above her for several long seconds before she lifted her free hand to curl absently in his hair. "I'm not angry with you Kenshin. How can I be when I know you were only trying to protect me? And I wasn't afraid of you… it was just…"

"Just?"

"Frightening to see." Sucking in a long breath she let it out slowly and planted several kisses on his forehead. "I didn't have enough time to understand my own feelings or to contemplate yours. But I do understand a little better now."

"You do?"

"Yes, and I truly don't believe you would have killed him, Kenshin."

"Don't you?" Painfully his fingers dug into her ribcage and her eyes widened. "Because I believe I could have, _willingly_, if it meant protecting you."

"Kenshin…"

"No, Kaoru. I don't want you to believe something about me that isn't true. I could have and I would have and I understand if you… can't handle that. You are so gentle and loving and set in your father's teachings. You care for everything around you. Every life has meaning and value. Every person deserves a chance in your eyes, but I… Kaoru I am selfish and defensive. I have very few things that I treasure and I jealously protect them from any harm, no matter the consequences to me or to others. Just the thought of you or Kenji in harms way angers me until I can't reason correctly. I become irrational and…"

"Shut up, baka." Sharply her hand whapped him on the head. "You're just going to have to understand that I can take care of myself just fine. And if you do get all destructive on me again I'll just have to take you down, tie you up, and drag your ass back home. So don't go starting in on this 'I'm too good for you' crap."

"Kaoru…" Completely in awe Kenshin lifted his head to stare at her narrowed eyes, her twisted lips and her one lifted brow. That happiness he had felt before overwhelmed him again, and his limbs quivered with it; his eyes glowed with it. _I love you so much, koishii. I only hope what you say is true._

The arrogance on her face melted away slowly, the look in his eyes making her tremble. "Kenshin?" Unsure she whispered his name, her fingers pushing hesitantly against his chest when he lifted himself to kiss her. Their situation was much too intimate; alone in her room in the middle of the night. There was nothing outside of him and her and the feelings rising within.

Warmth, compassion, desire… all swirled in intricate patterns just under her skin, leaving her breathless. His touch was the same; gentle and caring, careful of her comfort, except she herself was different. She knew this man now, at least more than she had before. She could fully suspect the depths of his actions and emotions, whereas only the day before she had been ignorant. Somehow knowing what he was capable of and what raged beneath the surface of his polite expressions made her own feelings for him deepen. Strengthened now by a bond that was tied in the dead of night with the confession of fears and a restrained violence.

Taking root in the canals of her heart these sentiments were nothing she herself had ever known existed. Feelings that were dark and dense like that of the richest soil. Sensations that, with only the stroke of his fingers along her skin and his tongue across the roof of her mouth, smoldered in a heat that spoke of flames.

But as her hands dug deep into the loose mane of his hair, an encouraging moan tingling through their joined lips, the hand at her hip shuddered and fell away. That barrier he had erected so early in their relationship had been found and he was not willing, it seemed, to break it yet. Caught up so securely in their emotional bond she knew that she was willing to give him everything with no regrets.

His thin lips were already softening their rough cadence in preparation of pulling away when she wrapped her hand decisively around his wrist. "Don't stop." Tugging it back to the warm curve of her pelvic, she twined her leg around his, her only thought to keep him close. "I don't want you to stop."

Lean muscles tightened under her touch, faintly twitching as he hid his face in the crook of her neck. "Are you sure, koishii?" His taut voice spoke of what she wanted to know and she smiled, her lips tickling his ear.

"Yes… always."

This feeling of acceptance was more than he had expected. It was more than just her physical desire for pleasure. It was fulfilling and exalting, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. It was also calming and comforting, safe like the feel of her arms around him. She loved him, yet it was more than that. She had acknowledged his flaws and dangerous qualities, but she would not put up with them. On the contrary, she was willing to match him. Possibly even a challenge to best him. She did not want to be just his woman, she wanted to be his equal.

_Koishii…_ His breathy chuckle was more than amused and he slipped a knee between her legs. _I will accept your challenge._ A soft nudge brought the hem of her shirt up, allowing his fingers to dance across her smooth muscles. A satisfied sigh passed in one short breath from her mouth to his, humming against her throat provocatively. The hem of his shirt was found, uncovering knew sensations as soft skin ran sensually together. Back bowing in a bid to repeat the reaction she felt his jaw grind in response, their lips breaking apart, and his hand reappeared at her waistline. Impatient fingers dipped underneath her elastic waistline, curving around flesh no man had ever touched, and lifted her. Hips pressing firmly against his, a moan finally pulled from his throat and… _oh, and…_

A sound broke through her haze of pleasure and heat, creasing her brows in irritation and demanding her attention. _No… please. No distractions now. _Teeth clamping down on her quivering lip, she arched desperately into his touch, not wanting it to end so soon. Digging her nails into his shoulders her head shook in denial as she frantically concentrated on the fire from his hips grinding teasingly against her.

Again a sound interrupted her senses and deep indigo irises snapped open in revelation. A note of tears and fear was echoing through the suite and her heart suddenly ached, forcing a gasp from her lips. Mind still sluggish yet urging her to react she pushed weakly on the muscles of Kenshin's chest. It was no surprise when she was ignored. Her almost lover was more preoccupied with his mission of fully disrobing her.

"Kenshin…"

"Mmm?" Back bowing awkwardly, his lips found one breast, forcing an unintentional gasp of pleasure from her and she felt him smile.

"Kenshin, please…" Hands fluttering over his face, she was almost unable to find the strength to pull him away.

"What is it?" His weight settled gently over her once more, one palm flattening over her jaw. "I-is something wrong?" He was so breathless, so worried, so sweet.

"Yes… I mean, no… it's just…"

"Touchan!" A small sob accompanied the call this time, the child's voice breaking into a scream, and Kaoru's lips shook sympathetically. Sharply Kenshin braced himself up as his head swiveled to automatically look over his shoulder, blue eyes able to make out the deep crease of his brows in the dark.

"Your son needs you."

The words went unheard as he was already unraveling himself from her and the covers, his actions slightly harried as he quick stepped to the door of her room. Compassion and anxiety warred within him, his nightmare coming back, and he yanked the door open even as Kaoru clicked on a lamp next to her bed. Light flooding outward from her room into the suite's main receiving space, Kenshin saw Kenji's head whip around and the tearful fear on his face.

"Kenji…" Only three steps were made before Kenji was throwing himself at his father, Kenshin's arms wrapping tightly around him as he cried into his shoulder. "What's wrong? What are you doing out of bed at this hour?"

"You weren't… _sob_… in your… _gasp_… room and… _hiccup_… I got scared…" His small chest constricted and Kenshin's heart cinched painfully as his crying increased. "I couldn't find you."

"Alright, alright. It's okay now. I'm right here." Picking up his light weight, Kenshin turned back toward Kaoru's room, his voice soothing as he spoke to his son. Kaoru waited in the doorway, her blue irises hurting as she watched their exchange. Considerately she made room for them to enter and softly closed the door behind them before urging Kenshin to bring Kenji into the circle of warmth from her bedside lamp.

"Why didn't you come to Kaoru when you couldn't find me?" Sitting his son in his lap, his frown deepened when the boy hid his face in his chest.

"I couldn't find you, Daddy. I couldn't find you." Kenshin sighed as he hugged Kenji to him, noting absently that where his crying had lessened his hysteria had not. Kaoru sat slowly next to them, her eyes sad as she briefly met his and her hand brushed gently over Kenji's hair.

"I'm sorry, Kenji. I was in here… speaking with Kaoru. I didn't go far. I would never leave you anywhere alone. Ok? Don't you ever be afraid of that."

Quietly he sniffed, the sound muffled by Kenshin's shirt, but his head nodded his understanding. "Okay."

"That's my boy." Kissing him on the crown of the head Kenshin adjusted his weight and soothingly cleaned the tears from his cheeks. "It still surprises me that you didn't come to Kaoru. Did something else scare you?"

Blue-violet irises ducked his father's scrutiny before his chin lifted to show a new sheen of tears. "I had a bad dream, Daddy, and I woke up and couldn't find you." Fresh tears spilled from dark red lashes, a small hand lifting to rub over his cheek. "It was just like my dream and I was scared."

"What happened, Kenji?"

"There was this mean lady and she said I had to go away with her. She said I could never see my daddy again. It was really dark and scary and I couldn't see anything and I didn't know what to do."

"A mean lady?" Kaoru frowned. _Well that would explain why he wanted his father. _"Have you ever seen this lady before?"

Kenji shifted so he could look at Kaoru, his little head shaking in negation. "No. Her eyes were black. Not nice and blue like yours."

Smiling in reassurance Kaoru combed her fingers through his hair. "Don't worry, Kenji. Your father and I won't let anyone take you away. And if you ever get scared or someone frightens you, you just yell as loud as you can for one of us and we'll come for you right away. Ok?"

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Heartened by his pouting smile Kaoru cast a glance to Kenshin, glad that the boy had calmed down and relaxed. Kenshin's face, however, was too serious for their situation, his eyes too dark and angry. "Kenshin?" The look disappeared with a shake of his head, his lips tilting upward.

"Kaoru's right, Kenji. We would never let anything happen to you. Nobody will take you away from me." Words roughening with his last conviction, strong arms pulled the boy tightly into his chest and softly repeated the promise. "Nobody."

"Okay." Clearing his eyes of the rest of his tears, Kenji looked up to his father curiously. "What were you and Kaoru talking about?"

It was Kenshin's turn to dart a glance to Kaoru, amused when he found her face flushed red. "Actually… I had a bad dream, too. Kaoru was making mine go away." Her blush darkened, embarrassment mixing with pleasure.

"Really? Was it like mine?"

Attentive blue irises searched Kenshin's features, just as curious as Kenji to know what had upset the man so much he would fall apart in her arms. Violet eyes wavering, Kenshin smiled and nodded. "Yeah… it kinda was."

"And Kaoru made it all better?"

"Yeah. She was kind enough to let me stay in here with her, to make sure my dream didn't come back."

"Oh." Kenji chewed on his lip and Kenshin held in a chuckle as he watched his son think. "Is it ok if I stay here, too? In case… my dreams come back?"

"Of course you can, Kenji. My arms are big enough for both of you." Wrapping her arms around Kenshin and the boy in his lap, Kaoru squeezed briefly. "See, I can protect you both."

"Yatta." A yawn pulled at his mouth and the two adults grinned in amusement.

"I think it's time to go back to bed. We can't have you worn out for the party tomorrow." Kenji grinned and held out his arms for Kaoru and Kenshin watched as she stroked his son's hair just like she had done his. Smiling softly he stood to circle the bed, pulling back the blankets in preparation of climbing in. It was completely wonderful having her around.

"Now, you don't need to go to the bathroom, do you Kenji?"

"Nope."

"You're sure?"

"Yep."

"Okay, but only if you're sure." Kaoru smacked a kiss on his cheek before settling him gently in the middle of the bed, her own weight shifting to slip her feet under the covers. Twisting awkwardly she clicked the lamp off before fully snuggling her body into the bedclothes.

Kenshin smiled as his eyes adjusted back to the gloom of Kaoru's room, amused to find her blue eyes studying him. Scooting closer so he could wrap an arm around Kenji comfortably, he softly trailed his fingers over her lips. Their intimacy was tempting yet he was unable to feel frustrated at their forced restraint. He could be patient when the situation called for it.

Carefully her hand circled his wrist and her eyes closed, showing pleasure at the contact. Drifting his calloused fingers over the line of her jaw he tangled them deep in her hair as his voice whispered reassurance. "We'll finish our 'talk' tomorrow night, koishii." Kaoru giggled lightly and his grin deepened as she returned his teasing.

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

x

They slept late, as they had planned to, waking after ten when Kenji began to complain of an empty stomach. They ordered up a light breakfast, poured Kenji some milk to go with it, and lounged on the couch as they ate. There was nothing to do for most of the day until late afternoon when they would have to get ready for the New Year's Eve party that night. Since there was no help for it Kenshin had agreed to let Kenji come along. There would be enough of them to keep a close eye on him, and Kaoru and himself had already talked it over. They would not be drinking. Not that Kaoru particularly liked drinking anyway and Kenshin had given that up.

They took a nap halfway through the afternoon, more for Kenji's sake than anything, and afterwards began their preparations. They bathed first and then Misao was over to kick Aoshi into their suite so she and Kaoru could occupy the other. Aoshi looked only slightly ruffled but was cool as always when he greeted Kenshin and his son. The self-satisfied look on Kenshin's face earned a lifted brow, though. Shrugging his shoulders and grinning, Kenshin ushered Kenji into his room to start dressing him.

In the second suite Misao grinned at Kaoru's reflection in the mirror above hers, a brush pulling through her long strands as Kaoru began fixing Misao's hair. "Himura was sure looking smug. He must be pretty happy about something."

Kaoru blushed, her head ducking to hide her face as she slipped her fingers through her friend's hair. "You think so? I-I didn't notice."

"Really? Were you… too occupied by other parts of his body to notice?"

"You could say that." Muttering under her breath Kaoru rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. Kenshin had been rather touchy-feely all morning, breaking apart the rules of polite displays of affection with both hands; and lips and teeth and tongue. Apparently the man was finding it rather hard to wait. Though she could sympathize with his impatient anticipation she really wished he would keep his hands to himself for now. It was hard enough holding her own resolve without him teasing her every five minutes. Especially with the way he had accosted her after she'd finished her shower. She was afraid her thoughts would run rampant for much of the evening because of that little scene. Just thinking of how easily his hands had slid under the cloth of her bathrobe without actually loosening the knot…

"Oww! Kaoru! What are you doing?"

"Sorry."

After finishing with their separate hair styles and makeup Misao and Kaoru pulled out the kimono they would be wearing for the evening. Though they were used to wearing kimono because of the restaurant, these were a far cry from those. The silk was superior, the cut measured and designed for each of their bodies, and they were longer than either was used to. Even the patterns displayed on the material looked as if they belonged on a painting and not a piece of clothing.

For Kaoru there was the image of a red dragon curling possessively around her legs. Its tail began at the base of her right foot and circled around her legs once to rest its head on her hip, its red and orange scales lined in black. Layered beneath its powerful body were strokes of grey that faded to white in highlights along one leg and in a splash by her left foot. Similarly the top echoed the bottom in color, bringing attention to one arm brightly while deepening that same sleeve to a dark ash. As if by accident a small burst of black clouds limed in red coiled onto half of that sleeve, the opposite shoulder matching in ominous patterns. The obi was a jet black of the deepest ebony, unadorned and flawless. Only a second swath of textured cloth underneath of rich red giving color to her tie.

Misao's was just as suggestive of her own relationship. Lighter in base color, the sea green laid solidly against the cloth, the only hints of shadow natural as they folded against her body. The pattern was that of three long-necked birds, almost the match for a swan, but much more powerful in presence, like that of a phoenix. Along the front of her legs the first bird showed its belly, wings spread wide, neck arched in the middle of a call. Bright and white its feathers shown on its chest, the tips of its wings reaching out, dipped in red like blood. On the backside, a second bird echoed the first, its feathers untouched by color, pure and undaunted. One wing from each fanned counterclockwise along the train at her feet; one red, one white. Almost like yin and yang.

The obi was similar to Kaoru's, black and pure, another underneath red, more mauve and darker than the other woman's. Above, the third bird rested across her shoulders. Here the two below seemed to come together as one. With its two heads lying along the front and backside of her right arm, its body and wings spread down along her left shoulder and arm. Feathers branching out to cover the entirety of her sleeve, the front opposed the bird below with its whiteness, while the back did the same in its bloody contrast.

Baubles hung from the ceramic pieces in their hair, complimenting their kimono and the vibrancy of their thick tresses. They jingled softly together as they walked, their steps measured and graceful in the confining lengths of material. Lastly came their geta before they stepped out of the door, the wooden clogs painted and polished and giving even more restriction to their steps. With the three layers underneath their kimono they would not need coats.

Kenshin and Aoshi both knew what their women's dresses were going to consist of. In fact they were the ones who had picked them out. Tonight was not going to just be a party but also a way to strengthen business deals and possibly make new ones. They would need to make an impression and in all the right ways. Knowing this they had chosen kimono for Kaoru and Misao to wear and even went so far as to decide on the designs and color. Even still, they were not prepared for their women to look like geisha with only the absence of the traditional white makeup on face and neck suggesting they were not.

Kenji ran straight for Kaoru the moment they emerged from the room into the hall, his intentions clear. A sharp rebuke from his father stopped him short, his head ducking into his shoulders.

"Kenji, you will not be able to do that tonight." Stepping up beside his drooping figure, Kenshin knelt so that he was eye level. "We already talked about this, remember? If you are going to go, you have to be a big boy and stand on your own."

For a moment his little lip quivered and he cast a longing glance towards his mother. Leaning forward he whispered pleadingly in Kenshin's ear. "Can I hold hands with Kaoru-san?"

Biting back a laugh Kenshin nodded, plainly amused. "Yes, that would be just fine, but she can't carry you."

"Okay."

Hopping his way over to Kaoru he fitted his little hand in hers and smiled brilliantly up at her face.

"You look all grown up in your suit, Kenji." Brushing his bangs carefully out of his eyes, Kaoru bit her lip, her expression glowing with maternal love. The miniature tux they had fitted for the boy was more adorable than anything, and with his baby fine strands of hair pulled into a high ponytail like his father's was Kaoru felt she was looking at Kenshin's small twin. He was going to be the heartthrob of the evening and the boy wasn't even in school yet.

"You think so?"

"Of course. Very mature."

"What's ma-machoor?"

Kaoru laughed and squeezed his hand as they stepped into the elevator. "It means you look like a very nice young man who behaves well and watches his manners around others."

"Like Daddy?"

Giggling, Kaoru flitted her eyes to Kenshin, his red brow lifted as he waited for her answer. "Well, he is most of the time." His brow dropped and his lips pursed and she knew he was going to get her back for that statement later.

Outside the hotel their limo waited and it was only as they settled into the car did Kaoru begin to feel nervous. This was going to be a more than public party and she was afraid she was not the type of woman Kenshin needed for such functions. Kaoru did not know how to play this part because she had no experience in the act. _All I really need to do is watch Kenji. He should be my focus for the evening. And I guess if I really don't know what to do I can always pretend I don't speak English._ Laughing at herself quietly, she smiled comfortingly at Kenji when his hand gripped hers.

"Is something wrong, little man?"

Big eyes turned to her, round and pulled wide, but his head shook determinedly. "No, Kaoru-san."

Smile widening affectionately, knowing how strong he was trying to be, Kaoru leaned closer to whisper in secret. "Do you remember what I promised last night?"

"That you would never let anyone take me away."

"That's right. I meant what I said, Kenji, and I don't want you to ever forget that, alright? I will always be here for you, and if you ever get scared you just yell for me and I'll come running. No matter where you are." Kissing him softly on the forehead, she hugged him back when his little arms wrapped around her. "And I want you to understand that it's okay to be scared sometimes. I'm a little scared myself."

"You are?" Looking up at her in wonder, he blinked in disbelief at the thought.

"Uh-huh."

"What do you do when you're scared?"

"Well, I think about how strong my father was for me when I was growing up and I realize how scared he must have been too. But like him I can't let that fear get the best of me because I don't just have myself to look after anymore. Now I have you, Kenji."

Blue-violet eyes widened and Kaoru's smile faltered, unable to read the emotion on his little face. "You have me? Like your daddy had you?"

"That's right."

"And your mommy, too?"

Kaoru's smile relaxed and she nodded slowly. "Yes, just like my mommy had me."

Kenji's bottom lip quivered for a second before his jaw set and he squared his shoulders. "Well, I've got Daddy to take care of so I can't be scared either." Kaoru chuckled at his announcement, directing her ear toward him at his urging. "Will you help me, Kaoru? Daddy's pretty tough to take care of."

"Of course I will, Kenji. I've gotta keep my eye on him anyway." Reaching out her other hand she twined her fingers through Kenshin's, smiling wide when he looked to her questioningly.

All too soon they were arriving at the office building, the party arrangements made for the west wing of the top floor. Most of the rooms and offices were locked tight and the elevators were automatically switched to travel only from the ground floor and the floor of the party. Guards were situated at each staircase, each entrance and exit and along the few halls that were still accessible. Though it was a pleasure function, Kenshin wanted to make sure everything stayed peaceful and that his guests were safe from any unintentional harm. It did not help that his only son was going to be attending as well.

Outside on the sidewalk there were a few camera crews and many paparazzi situated along the roped off section to greet each of the cars as they dropped off their passengers. Every guest would be awed upon, their picture taken and then they would be off to the next. A select few were interviewed to cover the story in the next day's paper, as it was not as large of an event as the ball dropping in New York City it would get noticed. They were a big business, after all.

Sighing, Kenshin tugged slightly on the collar of his shirt, already uncomfortable with its confining material clinching at his neck. Unexpectedly soft fingers took the place of his own and he turned to smile at Kaoru as she adjusted his bow tie.

"You can't show up to your own party with a crooked tie."

"Thanks." Stealing a quick kiss from her lips he brushed a finger over her cheek when he noticed she was trembling. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course." Smiling winningly, Kaoru wrapped her fingers around his wrist to lower his hand away from her face. "Just a little anxious is all."

"Huh." Leaning closer to whisper in her ear Kenshin smiled in amusement at her jitters. "I won't let them eat you."

"That's not what I'm afraid of."

"You'll be fine. Just smile at everyone. You have such a beautiful smile, they won't even care what you do after that."

Abruptly the car door opened, lighting up the interior with camera flashes and street lamps. Aoshi, cool and calm as always, stepped out first, his back straightening as he professionally paused for a couple seconds. Then his figure turned and he offered his hand for Misao to step out as well. As they distracted the crowd Kenshin coaxed Kaoru and Kenji to reseat themselves on the opposite side where Aoshi and Misao had just vacated.

"Just follow my lead and you'll be ok." Reaching around Kaoru, Kenshin lifted Kenji's chin with a finger, willing him to understand his next words. "Do not let go of Kaoru's hand. For anything, you understand?" Large eyes stayed focused on his father and Kenji nodded his head, his hand gripping Kaoru's even tighter.

Kaoru smiled at the chatter Misao's appearance had prompted from the crowd waiting just outside of the car. Many words of praise and delight reached her ears, commenting on her dress, her hair, right down to her size. Adorable was a word that was often spoken among their dialogue. Then Kenshin was stepping out of the car, urging some observations of his own that made Kaoru frown. _I'll definitely have to keep an eye on him tonight._ Possessiveness giving conviction to her stature, Kaoru held her chin high and her back straight. She was not about to let some gold digging hussy think she had even the slightest chance of moving in on her man.

Kenshin leaned back towards the car, his hand in offering, and smiled in anticipation as Kaoru slid gracefully from the car. Fingers, calloused from swordplay, rubbed warmly up his arm, an action of affection as well as possession, and she smiled for the cameras that snapped away in greedy delight. Sapphire irises met his for an instant and Kenshin's smile widened, seeing the light of challenge in her gaze that spoke of her claim. _My little woman is full of surprises lately._ Running the back of his fingers lightly down her jaw Kenshin responded with an acknowledgement, his eyes deepening in color to show his own claim. A light blush dusted her cheeks at her transparency and to distract herself and the sea of cameras, she turned to help Kenji from the car.

His appearance provoked the greatest reaction of their group.

Startled by the large number of eyes focused on him Kenji instinctively hid partially behind his mother's leg. The amount of people standing around him was frightening, more so as some leaned forward to get a better look at his small stature. Chewing his cheek, Kenji looked quickly to Kaoru who was tugging lightly on his hand.

"Don't be afraid." Her words whispered to him in the chaos of the crowd and within his heart his fear settled. Kaoru would never let anything happen to him. She was his mother, after all. She would always be there to watch over him. Besides, with his father there protecting them both nothing bad could happen.

"I'm not afraid." Setting his little jaw, Kenji stepped boldly forward and stared straight ahead down the long red carpet. The line of people ended with the entrance into the building. All he had to do was make it there.

Smile trembling in amusement at Kenji's actions, she squeezed his hand when his shoulder rubbed against her leg. He would walk beside her but he didn't want to get too far away.

As was expected of the owner and head CEO of the company Kenshin made his way towards the sidelines when beckoned. His would be the last interview of the evening and the largest part of the column. Smiling at the reporter as she quickly made her rounds of the conversation Kenshin watched Kaoru and Kenji out of the corner of his eye. Kaoru, unsure of what to do with Kenshin taken away, was busying herself with answering Kenji's questions. She was bent slightly at the waist, as her outfit would allow for nothing more, and her eyes were focused unwaveringly on the little boy's features. There was no doubting the love she was showing, no question that she would do anything for the boy. She was attracting quite a lot of attention because of it.

People were pointing and whispering with smiles on their faces. Many took pictures of just them, over and over and over again. Some even beckoned for her to come closer. With an ease that seemed as if she had done this thousands of times before, though, Kaoru would merely smile and wave, before turning in a different direction.

"Nobody expected you to bring your son to the party tonight, Mr. Himura. Many will wonder if it was the proper thing for you to do with a child as young as he is."

Smiling and shrugging his shoulders, as if helpless over the situation, Kenshin answered smoothly. "The boy wouldn't take no for an answer."

Laughing, the reporter let him brush her question off. "He is definitely his father's son then, although…" The woman grinned affectionately as she turned her eyes towards Kenji and Kaoru. "I think he might be more attached to his mother."

Kenshin twisted to look over his shoulder at the two as well, his features becoming soft. "Who wouldn't be?"

With the end of the short interview Kenshin bowed and stepped away to gently place his palm flat between Kaoru's shoulder blades and encourage her on through the large double doors. Once inside the noise from the crowd became muffled, indistinct and almost distant. On the other side of the lobby the doors to the elevator stood open in preparation, a single guard waiting to check the invitations of any who needed its use.

Inside the elevator Kaoru sighed and leaned carefully against Kenshin's shoulder, her hand plopping down on top of Kenji's head companionably. His grin was all excitement and she chuckled at how quickly his fear had disappeared. The boy was going to pick up one arrogant complex at such a young age if he started believing what everyone was saying about him. Not that it wasn't all true. He was definitely a cutie.

"Now that the hard part's over you should be able to breeze through the rest of the evening no problem." Kenshin hugged her to him lightly with an arm over her shoulders and planted a light kiss next to her ear. "At least until the after party."

"Oh?" Blushing pink but feeling playful, Kaoru jabbed him in the ribs. "So you're saying I _will _be having problems at this after party of yours?"

"Hmm." Humming under his breath Kenshin slipped a finger beneath her obi. "Problems breathing."

Flushing red, her body seemingly ready to react to his words as well as his touch now, Kaoru jumped when Kenji tugged on her hand. "No kissy-kiss now."

Abruptly the elevator dinged, driving the boy's words home, and Kenshin pulled back just in time for the doors to slide open.

Across the room a pair of black eyes watched as the couple stepped from the box. The smiles on their faces were carefree and happy, their exchanged glances showing affection and love. It was obvious the two were close. Black eyes drifted downward and she focused on the third member of their party. Walking next to them, his small hand comfortably fit in the palm of the woman's, was her son.


	10. A New Year's Eve Disaster

Disclaimer: I know nothing…

**Chapter 10: A New Year's Eve Disaster**

Kaoru smiled down at Kenji as she held his plate of cookies so he could take a sip of the punch. A happy crunch next to her made her lips quirk as Misao snuck yet another of the sugar concoctions into her mouth. She was trying hard not to get anything stuck in her teeth or stain her dress but the woman was not winning the fight against her sweet tooth. Sighing, Kaoru looked up to find the reason they were both struggling to be presentable, their men chatting easily with a couple of other suits that were apparently very interested in doing business. Though Kaoru knew it was the whole reason for the party she just wished that for a few minutes she could pretend they were only there for the music and dancing. Poor Kenji was getting tired of just standing.

"Don't worry, Kamiya-san, the closer it gets to midnight the less business talk there will be." Hiko stepped up next to them, his stern face producing a smile to ease her tension. "More because a lot of them will have consumed too much alcohol to agree or disagree coherently."

Misao giggled which forced Kaoru to smile, but a small jerk on her hand distracted her as Kenji demanded her attention. "Kaoru-san… I need to go to bathroom."

"Alright, sweetheart." Handing the plate to Misao and setting aside the glass cup of half drank juice, Kaoru gripped the boy's hand tightly and turned to Hiko. "Could you point me in the right direction?"

"I can take him, if you want."

"No." Hiko glanced down to Kenji, a surprised smirk pulling at his lips at the firm tone in his voice. "Mo- Kaoru can take me. Daddy said to hold onto Kaoru's hand and not let go."

"Alright. We wouldn't want to go against what Dad said." Chuckling under his breath Hiko pointed to a far corner. "You'll have to walk down the hall a bit but the bathrooms are that way."

"Thank you."

Leading Kenji carefully through the crowd of adults, Kaoru smiled where was appropriate, greeting once again many of the people that she had been introduced to when they had first arrived. Once in the hallway she politely explained to the guard on duty what she was searching for and he lazily lifted a hand to wave her on, apparently bored.

"Who are those people, Kaoru?" Kenji questioned her curiously, his little neck twisted at an awkward angle to keep the guard in his view for as long as he could.

"He's one of the many security guards your father scheduled for the party. He's there to make sure no one gets hurt or upset."

"I thought that's what Daddy was here for."

Laughing, Kaoru brushed a hand over Kenji's bangs when his brows creased in confusion. "Well, honey, your dad can't keep an eye on everyone at once, so he has a few people who are helping him out."

"Oh. But… I don't know any of them."

Kaoru laughed again and leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "Yeah, but you don't have to worry about them, sweetheart. That's what I'm here for."

Leading him into the restroom, quieting his protests when he found himself in the lady's room, Kaoru reassured him that it would be okay. Smiling at an American woman when she grinned in amusement, her accented voice politely saying hello to the both of them, Kaoru bowed her head minimally and used the exchange as an excuse to calm the boy down.

"You see, Kenji-chan. Nobody will be upset that you're in here. I just don't feel comfortable with you going into the men's room alone, alright?"

His little head nodded but his eyes stayed studiously aimed downward. _Well, at least he's polite._ Smile widening as she held in her laughter, Kaoru led him to a stall and let him finish his business alone. As she waited a couple of the other stalls emptied, the ladies washing their hands and reapplying makeup before leaving. Left with only Kenji as company she smiled when another woman walked into the bathroom.

Surprisingly Kaoru found relief in the woman's obvious Japanese origin, her dark eyes and similar features a comforting sight next to the strange and foreign appearances of everyone else she had encountered that evening. The smile the woman gave was rather small but polite, and when she greeted Kaoru it was in their native tongue. Another comfort to Kaoru's homesickness.

"Konban wa."

Returning the greeting softly Kaoru bowed at the waist, a show of respect and relief. The woman then turned away, apparently more interested in her reflection in the mirror. Slightly disappointed but understanding, Kaoru watched as she swiped a couple fingers over her hair to resituated a stray strand back into place and then turned to open her small clutch. While watching her reapply her lipstick Kaoru heard the toilet flush behind her, Kenji's business done for the moment. Turning away from the beautiful woman, Kaoru helped to open the door and let Kenji's small frame exit the stall.

Her smile widened in loving affection as she found that he was unable to reposition his clothing in the same fashion as his father had a few hours before. Placing a hand between his shoulder blades, she led him insistently to the sinks lining the wall so he could wash his hands before she took on the task of making him presentable again.

"What an adorable little boy." Apparently interested now, the woman made conversation. Strangely she spoke to her in English this time.

Kaoru, in the midst of balancing Kenji in her arms as he was not quite tall enough to reach the water faucets, graced the woman with a prideful smile. "Thank you." Respecting her choice of language, she answered back in kind.

"There is no doubt that he is the son of our host, Himura-san." Intense eyes looked over the red of Kenji's hair before she returned her scrutiny to Kaoru. "And that must make you Himura's wife?"

Kaoru opened her mouth quickly in denial. Though she had no problem letting the mother title slide when it came to Kenji, she did not think it wise to make anyone believe that her and his father were married when they were not. "Oh no, I'm afraid not."

"Oh? But are you not the boy's mother?"

Something in the woman's voice made Kaoru frown, sensing a sting of mocking anger, and yet it was too lightly ingrained in her words to be called out. "I did not give birth to the child, no, but that does not mean I care for him any less."

"But what of the boy's real mother?"

"I've never met her."

"That doesn't mean she is not still his mother."

"Perhaps… but Kenji has never met her either and that is no one's fault but hers."

"Well. Do you feel that gives you the right to put a claim on him and his father?" The woman's voice was definitely haughty now and it rubbed Kaoru the wrong way.

Feeling the conversation had progressed too far past politeness Kaoru directed her attention back to Kenji, helping him dry his hands then adjusting his miniature tux. "What right I do have to the men in my life has nothing to do with the absence of some woman I have never met, nor is it your business. I apologize but I think our conversation is finished."

Kenji studied the frown lines that were beginning to appear on his mother's forehead, unsure of why she was upset but knowing that there was no other explanation for the absence of her smile. With no one else in the room besides him and this strange woman Kaoru was talking to, Kenji concluded that it was the other that was disrupting their mood. Setting his little jaw, ready to defend his mother and protect her happiness, Kenji turned angry eyes to the tall woman standing beside them.

When her black eyes connected with his, however, the words in his throat collected and tangled harshly together. Feeling strangled, frightened, and frozen, Kenji heard as if from the end of a tunnel the whimper that exited his mouth in place of the intelligible dialogue that he had so meticulously picked to shoo this stranger out of their midst.

"Kenji?" Kaoru's hands wrapped warmly around his shoulders, shaking him slightly when he was unable to tear his gaze from the lady back to her. "What's wrong, little man?"

Rushing harshly back into his system, his nightmare tore at his heart fearfully, reminding him of what it felt like to be alone and unguarded. Revealing what it would be like to be without those he knew loved him. How it would feel to be without the safe barrier of warmth and protection his father made sure surrounded him. Letting him know what it meant to be helplessly unable to move without the threat of pain.

"Kenji!"

Jumping out of his shock Kenji slammed himself into Kaoru's chest, his entire body shaking as he clung to her kimono. Hugging his shivering form to her Kaoru cuddled him close in confusion, unsure of his reaction and what had been the cause of it. "I'm sorry I've never seen him act this way before…" Looking up to the lady Kaoru trailed off when she found her already gone, the space beside her empty. The frown on her face deepened and Kaoru's arms tightened around the boy.

"It's ok Kenji. You don't have anything to be afraid of. Nobody's going to hurt you."

"She had black eyes."

"Black eyes?" Blinking at his brief explanation, Kaoru suddenly remembered the boy's nightmare from the evening before. In the dream he had been tormented by a woman with black eyes. "Oh sweetie, there are plenty of people with dark eyes. You can't assume that they all will be bad. In fact," Pulling him carefully away to look into his face, she patiently explained and encouraged. "you should never think the worst of a person when you first meet them. I hope you will always be open minded about everyone's potential."

Quivering still in fear Kenji's lip trembled as tears gathered in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-san. She was just so scary."

"It's alright sweetie, but you shouldn't be afraid of anyone when I'm here with you. I promised I would never let anything bad happen and I swear I will never break that promise to you." Squeezing him gently against her she whispered her conviction in his hair. "I would do anything to protect you, Kenji. I love you too much to let you get hurt."

Sniffing, his eyes widened and his next words were spoken in awe. "You do?"

"Of course I do, my little firecracker." Finding tears had gathered on her lashes as well, Kaoru blinked as Kenji stepped away to look her in the eye. "Is that allowed?" Smiling when he nodded his head vigorously, Kaoru wiped at the moisture that had collected on his face.

"And Daddy, too?" When she frowned and didn't answer immediately he reached forward to tug on the sleeve of her dress. "You love Daddy, too?"

Lips trembling, Kaoru nodded as she tried to smile. "Yes. And your daddy, too."

"Yatta!" Giggling, his fear forgotten, Kenji threw himself at Kaoru and hugged her fiercely. Soon everything he had ever wanted would be his. All that was left was for his father to admit his feelings for Kaoru. _Then I will finally have my mommy for real._

When they returned to the party Kenshin was standing with Hiko, looking casual and quite comfortable in the atmosphere that surrounded them. As they came closer, however, Kaoru's smile widened when she caught the look of relief that passed over his features.

"Did you get lost?" His arm wrapped warmly around her shoulders, smiling vaguely when another couple passed by.

"No. We just weren't in a big hurry, were we, Kenji?" His little head shook and Kaoru's smile turned to a grin. "Especially since you seemed preoccupied with everything else."

"I know and I'm sorry, but…"

"Oh Kenshin, I didn't mean it like that. I understand, and it hasn't been too bad." Sighing, she leaned part of her weight into his side. "I will admit that I'll be glad when it's over, though."

"Will you now?" Grinning, Kenshin lifted an eyebrow and she frowned even as she blushed.

"Would you stop that." Whispering in chastisement, she elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to wheeze. "I might just sleep with Kenji."

Face falling in surprise, his eyes widened and his shoulders slumped. "But koishii, I thought… I mean you…" Cutting off when she began to giggle, he frowned, his nose wrinkling.

"Would you like to call a truce?" Patting him on one cheek, it was her turn to lift an eyebrow.

"Hmph… very well, koi. For now."

"Alright ladies, which of you wants to dance with me first?" Sano strolled over as their conversation ended, his smile flashing as brightly as his diamond studs. Misao giggled, continuously amused by his forward actions, and Kaoru grinned at Kenshin as he pouted. Even he had been unable to get away long enough to dance with her until then.

"Stand down, Sanosuke. I have already claimed this next dance with Kamiya-san." Hiko surprised them all by intervening and Kenshin's pout deepened. "You may have the second."

"Don't I have a say?" Muttering, Kenshin took a hold of Kenji as Hiko directed Kaoru out onto the floor, Sano following close after with Misao. Aoshi was still preoccupied with one last client and was therefore unable to protest. Sighing, Kenshin looked down to his son who was trying hard to suppress a yawn. "Getting tired?" Smiling affectionately when his arms lifted demandingly over his head, Kenshin bent to pick him up. "Yeah, me too."

Winding his way through the many other guests, looking for somewhere relaxing and open, he strolled out onto the balcony. It was cold outside but at least the air was fresher. Trying to brace the boy's body with both arms to share warmth, Kenshin sighed and smiled as his little head slumped onto his shoulder.

"Dad?"

"What is it, Kenji?"

"Do you love Kaoru-san?"

Blinking, his lips tilted in bemusement. "Where did this suddenly come from?"

"Do you?"

"…Yes… I do." Rubbing a hand up his back, Kenshin strained to make out his son's features out of the corner of his eye. "Is that allowed?"

Nodding quickly against his shoulder, Kenji lifted his head to smile brightly into his face. "Yep. It makes me happy, 'cause that means we both love Kaoru-san."

"Oh?" Heart warmed, Kenshin leaned back into the outer wall of the building.

"Yeah, and you know what? Kaoru told me that she loves me too, and then… guess what."

"What?" Amused and extremely proud of them both, Kenshin played along.

"She told me that she loves you too. That means she's finally my mommy, right?"

Swallowing thickly, Kenshin's smile wavered as the force of emotion in his chest threatened to peak without warning. This child had always been the source of much fulfillment in his life but within the bare space of two sentences he had given him much more. "Do… do you want Kaoru to be your mother?"

Nodding his head vigorously, Kenji affirmed the notion. "Yep. I want Kaoru to be with us all the time and never leave. You'll let her, won't you Daddy? You said you loved her and she loves you and that means you want to be together, right?"

"Of course, Kenji. I want her to be with us all the time, too. But that is something she will have to decide on her own, ok?" Sadly his little figure slumped, his lip pouting.

"Does that mean she can't be my mommy yet?"

"What do you mean, Kenji? Don't you already think of her as your mother?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Then it doesn't matter if she's living with us yet or not. You can still call her that. I'm sure she won't mind, and I don't mind either."

"Really?"

"Yes… and besides, I haven't had the chance to talk to you about this yet, but I had planned on asking Kaoru to live with us, permanently, sometime soon. So we won't be apart from her for very much longer."

"Yatta!"

Grinning, a sudden idea overcame Kenshin and he leaned in to whisper secretly in Kenji's ear. "Let's keep this between us, though, alright? I want it to be a surprise."

"Like a present?"

"Yeah, just like a present. And this isn't the best place to give her something so special." Making a distasteful face, Kenshin indicated the noisy room off to their left.

"Nuh-uh."

"Right. So will you be able to refrain from calling Kaoru 'mommy' until tomorrow? That's when you can give her your surprise."

Giggling behind his hands, Kenji nodded in glee. "Ok."

"So first thing in the morning for you. Right after you wake up you can call her mommy to your heart's content, but not tonight."

"Got it."

Smiling, Kenshin rubbed his nose against his son's, his heart and mind never so full of love as at that moment. It was all because of how much love there was between him and his son and Kaoru.

"When are you going to give her your present, Daddy?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't decided on the best day, but I'll let you know when I figure it out, alright. Then you can help me. Right now, though, I just want you to concentrate on your mission."

"Yep." Nodding his head, his hand lifted suddenly to cover his mouth as he was overcome by a yawn. "I'm tired, Daddy."

"I figured as much." Shifting his weight as the boy repositioned himself on his shoulder, Kenshin leaned his head lightly on his. "We won't stay too late. I promise. Just after midnight and then we'll go back to the hotel."

Rocking the boy gently, Kenshin was thankful for the absence of wind as he stood out on the balcony for a couple more of the songs floating through the doors. Not long after the end of one he smiled at Kaoru as she peeked her head around the metal and glass contraptions.

"What are you doing out here?" Walking slowly to him, her feet rather tired from her two bouts with Sano, she half-smiled in affection as Kenji's snoozing form came into her view. "I wondered if he was going to make it. He ate so much sugar that he was bound to crash sooner or later." Sweeping her fingers over his disheveled hair, she cuddled closer to Kenshin without encouragement. It was slightly chilly and subconsciously she worried about Kenji even as she lifted an arm to block his body and wrap him further in warmth.

"I hadn't planned on staying too much longer anyway. Once midnight hits we'll start our round of goodbyes for the evening. Aoshi has already agreed to stay as late as is required."

"That's very nice of him."

"Yes, well, he has also agreed to take on more responsibility for the company, since someone seems to think I try to do too much. This will be a good start for him."

"Really? Does that mean no more late nights at the office?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Kenshin smiled mysteriously. "Possibly."

Strangely she pouted. "That means I won't have Kenji for quite as long, though."

Chuckling softly, Kenshin smoothed a finger over her jaw, catching her chin and lifting her eyes to meet his. "I thought we could talk about that when the time comes."

A blush crept up her cheeks, her lip worrying under her teeth, and her heart pounded an unsteady rhythm against her ribs. "Oh?"

"For now I want to know if you have any New Year's resolutions thought out."

"Oh, well… I've never really done that before." Stuttering at his change in tact, Kaoru brushed nervously at a stray hair in her face. She had been sure he was speaking on a matter much more serious and life changing than this. His switch in subject left her feeling unbalanced.

"Yeah, me neither. Of course, I've never really thought about needing to make one, but I think this year I might." He was teasing her, although he spoke so reasonably she could still hear that amused tone in his voice.

"Really, mister big-shot, what could you possibly need to make a resolution over? All you have to do is ask your little secretary to jot it down on your schedule so you won't forget, or just have her do it for you." Mocking, she placed a hand on her hip, one brow lifted.

"Now, Kaoru, surely you're not jealous of Kimiko-san. She has a fiance, you know."

"Why would I be jealous, Kenshin? I expect you would know better than to mess around. Besides, Kimiko-san owes me big time and I doubt she would repay me by trying to steal you away." Smirking when he frowned she got that arrogant look on her face again, just like she had the night before. Deciding to let her comment slide, as that expression did such wonderful things to his insides, he twined his fingers through the hair at the back of neck and pulled her closer.

"You are such a spitfire, koishii. I enjoy that about you." _Please be mine, forever._ With an inner sigh of regret Kenshin realized the words he wished to speak would have to stay unspoken for awhile yet. Until then he was going to enjoy the velvet cushion of her lips.

Long moments later, her soft, heavy breaths sweet in his ear, he grinned and played with that stray hair she was finding annoying. "So, koishii, have you thought of your own resolution?"

Dazed and confused, Kaoru's smile wavered in blissful ignorance before her thoughts steadied to include his words of question. Opening her mouth to reply, she stopped on an inward breath, before her lips twitched on a sudden thought. Expression turning slightly wicked, Kaoru blushed at her own boldness. "I'll tell you what it is _after _I have done it."

"Is that so?" Fully ready to meet her challenge head on, Kenshin caught himself when Kaoru's irises, so daring and full of heat, darted away from his and widened. A quick, half-cocked frown followed the look.

"And just how long have you been awake, little man?"

Startled, Kenshin stretched his neck to look down at the boy as well. Tired blue-violet eyes were blinking blearily at Kaoru, but the smile on his face was slightly triumphant and Kenshin could only think of the conversation they'd had before Kaoru appeared on the balcony.

"You weren't spying, now were you?" Teasingly her fingers wiggled over his stomach and he jumped sluggishly as he giggled, still half asleep.

"No." A more mischievous giggle told of his falsehood.

"Ooo, you just wait, firecracker." Tickling him in earnest, his little laughs ripped from his mouth as his hibernating adrenaline kicked in with renewed energy.

"Stop! Stop, Kaoru!" Batting her off with his hands, he twisted and turned within Kenshin's arms, forcing his father to brace him more securely.

"Alright, you two. Let's not _try _to fall off." All too aware of the balcony edge merely a few feet to their right, Kenshin ended their fun abruptly. "I was hoping to see this coming new year."

Kaoru pouted slightly but contented herself with a quick tweak of the boy's nose. "Very well. I'll get you later." Smacking a loud kiss to Kenji's cheek she smiled happily when he giggled.

A quick look at the clock as they reentered the party showed only thirty more minutes before midnight and excitement tingled happily in Kaoru's stomach. A new year was so mysterious with its chances of joy and new discoveries, and in the back of her mind she knew of one that filled her with anticipation as well as a touch of anxiety. That moment would change everything and as eagerly as she sought that transformation in their relationship, she also feared that she might disappoint. She couldn't bear it if he were to be dissatisfied because of her inexperience or the rather unfeminine state of her body due to kendo training. The feeling of shame might crush her.

"Are you rested enough to dance with me now, Kaoru?" Kenshin's arm wrapped around her shoulders, his voice warm and teasing, and Kaoru smiled.

"But what about Kenji?"

"Hiko-sama can watch him for a few minutes. He'll be perfectly safe."

"Well, I have missed you all evening…" A light blush dusted her cheeks and Kenshin's arm tightened as he tried to calm the rise of emotion in his chest. They were in a much too public place to start speaking so intimately, especially since he knew he might not be able to stop at words any longer. So instead of following that line of sweetness she spoke of into the love it promised, he pulled gently away to pass his son over to Hiko.

Returning a few seconds later, Kenshin led her out onto the dance floor, his hand sliding warm and firm around the curve of her hip. "I have missed you too, koishii." Pulling in the calming scent of her hair, feeling his brain swirl as if intoxicated, he moved her smoothly with the rhythm of the music. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend much time with you or Kenji. I was hoping that this trip would have left me more free time than it has."

"I understand, Kenshin. Besides, we got to spend all day yesterday together and most of today." Moving her hand from his shoulder to brush over his cheek, she questioned him innocently about the rest of their trip. "And do you have to work tomorrow?"

"I shouldn't have to but they might need me for a few hours in the office. It all depends on how tonight goes."

"Oh?"

As Kenshin explained the finer details of the night and what could possibly come of it for the next day, Hiko rocked Kenji absently against his shoulder. The boy was pretty well fast asleep, even with the noise of the music and people talking. Sighing, he thought absently about the bed the boy should be sleeping in. For a moment he doubted their decision to bring him but knew as well that there was no help for it. The two women could have stayed to watch him but that would have been unfair to them. A babysitter could have been found but Kenshin would not have trusted anyone he did not already know to take care of his only son. Besides, Kenshin had already informed him that Kaoru and himself would not be staying much longer than midnight. The boy would be back at the hotel soon. Pacing absently around the hall, Hiko smiled at a few of the comments his situation was garnering from most of the women.

"Hiko-sama, one of our guests would like a personal word with the both of us." Aoshi came up on his left side, his bland features curiously frowning.

"Which one?" One large hand held flat over the back of his grandson, Hiko frowned as well. All of the large business discussions should have been taken care of already.

"I have never seen him before but he has asked for you and I personally. Though he did not say for what, he seems jittery, as if ready to confess."

"Confess?" A lump of worry slid into his stomach and the large man looked around at the people surrounding them. Though it was a small party by scale, there were too many people there for any type of catastrophe to occur. Too many of them could be hurt, and with the child he held in his arms Hiko could not allow anything like that to happen. "Where is your Misao-san?"

"Right here, Hiko-sama."

"I have heard you are trained in martial arts as well."

"Yes."

"Then you will be fine watching my grandson for a few minutes. Do not let him out of your sight."

"Of course." Bracing the weight of the young child as he was transferred yet again to another, Misao smiled slightly when he grumbled a complaint. "Don't worry about a thing. Aunt Misao will take care of you, little guy."

As Hiko and Aoshi walked away Misao rocked the little boy in her arms and looked out over the dance floor. Himura and Kaoru were smiling happily at one another, and the warmth they radiated had affected many of the surrounding couples. Grinning at the wonderful flow of the night, Misao turned to one of the chairs lining the wall and carefully navigated the room. Though the boy was small, so was she, and his weight was already making her arms burn. The chairs were close to the snack tables, too, and since missing supper had been a necessity Misao was hungry.

Hiko stared down at the unknown man in front of Aoshi and himself. He had to admit he had some kind of guts to be standing there, looking as if he were completely guilty of the worst of crimes, and then having asked for the two most intimidating men in the room. _Next to my son, I guess._ Amused with the thought, Hiko crossed his arms and shared a glance with Aoshi. The man was plainly Japanese in origin and it only increased the anxiety building in the pit of his stomach. What could he possibly want to tell them?

"Well? Who are you and what do you want?"

Fear passed over the man's features, his eyes darting around the room and focusing on everything but them. "Where is Himura-sama? I asked to speak with him as well."

"He is occupied."

A twitch jerked the muscles in his face as his agitation grew, his hands wiping at his suit jacket distractedly. "Oh, I was hoping to get t-to see his son. I heard he is almost a mirror image."

"You are avoiding the subject. What is it that you want?" Becoming impatient, Hiko nearly growled at the trembling man, his eyes narrowing as he found sweat on his brow.

Flinching as the larger of the two barked at him, the man took a step back and looked around. Sensing his desire to leave and becoming more suspicious by the moment, Hiko and Aoshi tactfully boxed him in. With no opening allowed to him the man began breathing rather heavily. "I-it has been brought to my attention that there might be a problem at your p-party tonight."

Frown deepening as his worst suspicion came true, Hiko looked to Aoshi to see the same expression on his face, only it was slightly colder. Darting a glance over the room behind them, Hiko stepped in closer, a hand coming down on his shoulder. "Where and when?"

"I-I'm not sure." Voice breaking, he stared up at Hiko's imposing figure and trembled under his grip.

"You had better be sure quick. Where did you get this information?"

"I… overheard someone talking…"

"Who? Can you point them out?"

"I didn't see their face…"

A low, irritated rumble rose deep from his chest and the man nearly whimpered.

"It was a woman. I'm sure it was a woman. She was talking about Himura-sama and something about money." Lifting his arms in defensive surrender as Aoshi stepped up and put a hand on his other shoulder, he shrank back against one of the columns. "That's all I know, I swear. She was in the bathroom. I couldn't just hang around and listen like some kind of…"

"Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi's head snapped up, startling the man and Hiko as well, as Misao tripped in her haste to navigate the crowd. Tears streaked her face and his stomach dropped sickeningly. She did not have young Kenji with her. Meeting her half-way and forcing a smile at the surrounding spectators, he pulled her against his chest and whispered a command to be calm.

"But he's gone! I only looked away for a second and…" Hysterical sorrow was drowning her voice, capturing too much attention, and as Hiko could clearly see the situation he stepped up and placed a hand on the back of her head. He was only thankful she was speaking in Japanese and not many of the people at the party would be able to understand her.

"You need to be calm, Misao-san. We will find him, but your panic will not help." Aoshi nodded in agreement and Misao swallowed her words but still trembled.

"I will tell Himura-sama." Brushing a reassuring hand over his beloved's face, he graced her with a brief smile before walking quickly away. Watching him go, Hiko ground his teeth, knowing he could not let his own anger hurt the girl any more than she already was.

"You need to understand that this could be a bad situation if everyone guesses that something has gone wrong. Try to act as normal as you can while you help me search." Remembering the man he turned and was not surprised to find that he was already gone. It did not matter, however, he knew what he looked like now and there was no chance he was able to enter the party without an invitation. He would find him later.

Kaoru smiled at Kenshin as he caught her from a twirl, his eyes warm with laughter and tempered by desire. They made her giddy, and as she playfully exchanged an intimate touch she had to bite her lip to hide her telling grin when his irises burned golden. He had been trying to keep that look in check all evening and she felt she had won a small victory by uncovering it so soon.

Sapphire eyes lit with joy, her happiness faded quickly when she caught sight of Shinomori's figure coming at them. His face was passive and calm but his steps were not. Seeing Kaoru's expression rapidly change, Kenshin slowed their dance to a stop, his own lips falling from a smile as he turned to see what had captured her attention.

"Aoshi-san." With one hand gripping Kaoru's comfortably, Kenshin glanced quickly around him, as if his surrounding atmosphere would tell him what was happening. "What is wrong?" Lowering his voice as he too knew what kind of chaos a disturbance would bring not only to the party but to their business, he leaned closer as his long time friend took a deep breath.

"Himura-sama…" Aoshi stalled for one brief second as he could tell his formal title had not missed Kenshin's notice. "Kenji is missing." The amber light that had been teasing the edges of violet eyes seemed to bleed into the softer color, speaking of none of his earlier craving. "We believe he was taken."

Kaoru froze and it suddenly felt as if she were unable to breathe. The emotion that slammed into her chest lay heavily against her lungs, constricting the muscles so tightly they were prisoners of their own strength. One gasping breath whispered from her lips, her eyes round and large, and something sharp stabbed like a jagged spear through her heart. There was no mercy in the action, nothing clean about the strike, and as her mind finally moved past the blow, pain sprang to life in her nerves.

She was moving before either of the other two could stop her, and she briefly heard Kenshin's call for her to return. Unable to respond to the command in his voice, or rather unwilling, she pushed her way through the crowd, a strange tranquility falling over her mind. There was nothing to be done about how he was taken or why. All that mattered was finding him and what she must do when that happened. This was where her training and discipline would be needed the most.

Kenshin watched Kaoru vault into action and nearly jumped after her in frustration. Forced to dismiss her, though it was a hard thing as he worried over her safety as well, he turned away from Aoshi and walked to the boundaries of the room. What needed to be done first was a complete lockdown. No one would leave and no one would enter. Hopefully this would buy some time.

Sano met him at one of the guards and as he listened to Kenshin's orders to the man and the resulting crackle of walkie-talkies as they communicated, his face hardened in anger. Leaving him with a supportive clap on the back Sano too took off into the crowd, his lanky form forcing a smile as he swept hard mahogany irises over every detail.

There was no time to give into the suffocating anger and darkness that was threatening his insides. No time to feel despair as he imagined his son, frightened, alone, and with some stranger. It was a cruel echo of both their dreams. Heart freezing with the mixture of his emotions, Kenshin bit the inside of his cheek as many of the partygoers nearest to him noticed and responded with alarm to his hard golden gaze.

Kaoru felt her hands tremble as she twisted and turned, searching systematically as she repeated a calming mantra within her mind. She would find him. She would take him back. She would make sure he was fine. She would hurt whoever had hurt him. If necessary. She could not give into her anger. That was the path her father had warned her against. _But that does not mean I will not be strong enough to protect my family. Anger is not the answer. Action is._

_But he must be so scared!_ A tremor pulled at her lips and she could clearly see his frightened eyes. He would need to be comforted, and her arms ached at his absence. She needed to find him, needed to know that he was alright, and needed to reassure him that she would never let such a thing happen to separate them again. _And we promised him that he would be ok. We promised that all he had to do if he was ever scared was call and we would come find him. What a horrible promise to make then break within such a short amount of time! How can I ever hope to gain his love if I cannot even protect him? If I can't even keep such a simple promise, how do I ever expect him to look at me as he would his…?_

"_Kaachan!_"

Kaoru's head snapped up, her eyes alight as she searched for the source of the call.

"_Kaachan! Kaaa-chaan!"_

There was such fear in the child's voice, but it carried, and as she locked onto the source she nearly shoved people out of her way as she followed it. _That's it baby. You're such a brave little boy._ His distress pulled tears to her eyes and the wound in her heart throbbed as if torn wider.

"_Kaachan!"_

_I'm here sweetheart._

Near the entrance to the party Kaoru came upon the kidnapper who was arguing with the guard as he refused to let her leave. It was with some surprise that she recognized the woman from the bathroom, but that amazement passed quickly as Kenji's frightened and tear-streaked face found her.

"Kaachan!" His little arms reached for her, throwing all of his weight against the woman who held him captive. Unaware of Kaoru's presence, the woman graced him briefly with an irritated look before directing her attention back to the guard.

"As you can see my son is very upset. I don't understand why you won't let me pass. He needs to be put to bed."

Unable to translate Kenji's cries for his real mother, the guard glared down on the small, Asian woman. "I'm sorry ma'am. No one is allowed to leave. It's for your own safety."

"And until you can give me a decent explanation as to what kind of danger I'm in I will keep insisting that you let me pass."

Almost on top of her Kaoru took a deep, steadying breath, holding in her anger as best she could as Kenji's voice quivered into quiet sobs. Upset and struggling with her control, she spoke low and dangerously in her native tongue. "If you don't give me back my son you won't need an explanation."

The guard looked to Kaoru curiously, but dark cobalt irises were only for the other woman as she turned and met her glare with cold black eyes. For several seconds they did nothing but look at one another, Kaoru's stare firm, unyielding, and challenging the look of arrogance on the other's face.

"Your son, is he?" A small smile pulled at perfect red lips. "What makes you so sure?"

Kenji whimpered as Kaoru's face twitched angrily, her hand jerking as Kenji reached for her. Vaguely in the background she heard the guard speaking into his walkie. Swallowing forcefully, her breathing turned shaky with suppressed anger. "Give me my son."

"But you said so yourself that he isn't yours."

"I will not ask again."

"Give me a break." Tossing her head, one perfectly manicured hand rested on her hip. "Just what are you going to do anyway in front of all these witnesses?"

Something deep and lethal flashed across her irises, giving the other woman pause. Her cocky smile wavered, her black eyes uncertain, and she shifted uncomfortably as Kaoru stared her down. "Several things come to mind."

A hand came down on her shoulder and with her body coiled as tight as a spring Kaoru almost lashed out. "I would not take her lightly, _Tomoe_. Kamiya-san is well trained in protecting herself." Hiko's deep voice was practically conversational and Tomoe's dark eyes finally held fear. Darting them between the two, she searched the depths of Kaoru's and her features lost all of her haughtiness.

Somewhere in her mind Kaoru registered the true identity of this intruder, but without any time to fully analyze the situation the realization only brought more anger to her heart. This was the woman who had hurt her love. This was the woman who had left her own son without holding him once in her arms. This was the woman who had left without marveling at how beautiful her son was or sharing that glorious moment with the father as they entered parenthood together. _This is the bitch that hurt both my redheads._

"He's my son." Struggling to keep her voice level, Tomoe lifted her chin and glared at Hiko as she was finding it too difficult to meet the eyes of the smaller woman. "What right does she have to claim what is mine?"

Dark eyes narrowing, Hiko ground his jaw at her nerve. "More right than you do, woman. Now hand over my grandson before I let her take him from you."

Kenshin quick-stepped around the edge of the room, passing strategically placed guards in his search for the one detaining his son. Relief was prominent in his mind that he had been found, but there was concern in his heart for Kaoru. From what the guard had reported she had found them first and she was not happy. He only prayed she did not resort to violence. If it came down to that extreme he would be the one to handle that. Not his sweet Kaoru. Never her.

As he rounded a column and the scene unfolded before his eyes his jog slowed as he clearly made out the familiar form of a woman he had hoped never to see again. As tall and striking as he remembered her to be, her stature was perfect, and her features were flawless. The sight of her made his stomach knot, but he could no longer tell if it was in anxiety, pain, or anger.

Standing before her was Kaoru; the epitome of beauty in her motherly defense. Bright sapphire irises were alight with protective instincts, her posture perfectly balanced for counter or attack. There was no doubt in his mind that she would do anything to take Kenji back, and Kenji was more than willing to be taken as he cried for his mother to save him.

"Oh take the brat then." Jerking the child forward carelessly Tomoe offered him, as indifferent to his personage as she would be to a stranger on the street. Movements reacting almost instantly Kaoru reached, plucking him from her hard grip to cuddle him smoothly into her arms. Cooing softly, her world contracted to include only the boy and his fear as she held him tightly against her and rocked. In that moment it was never more clear or pronounced for Kenshin just who the boy's true mother was.

Heart hardening in a returned rage, Kenshin made his presence known. With Hiko's arm wrapped securely around Kaoru's solid shoulders Kenshin knew there was no longer any reason for him to feel fear for her safety or his son's. Free to focus his entire attention on Tomoe, his scowl deepened when her expression fell back into familiar condescension. As many times as he had wondered at his own naïve trust while subject to her games, now face to face with her once again, he could not believe how ignorant he had been. How could he have ever mistaken her conceited personality for strength or affection?

Switching his gaze to the guard standing watch behind her, he jerked his head, satisfied when anger finally wrenched her perfect looks as the guard's hard fingers detained her wrists. "Hiko-sama, would you mind escorting Kaoru to one of the offices while I take care of our guest?" Kaoru's attention finally lifted beyond Kenji at his voice, looking to him briefly with an emotion he was not quite sure how to read. It made his chest clench in trepidation, but they were both walking away before he had time to analyze it. Letting out a strained breath, Kenshin looked up as Aoshi appeared next to him and nodded in acceptance that he would join the conversation.

Removing their company back to one of the offices as well, Kenshin sat down in one of the chairs as Tomoe was forced to take a seat. Staring across the expanse of desk that separated them he restrained himself from his anger, allowing only a cold indifference and reserved emotion to fill him. No good would come out of this situation if he allowed his temper to flare.

Flicking a passing glance to the guard standing behind her, he jerked his head again. "Wait outside." The man hesitated momentarily, but nodded his head, his eyes just as cold when they landed on the woman's head.

"What do you want, _anata_?" Tossing her head imperially, her back straight and chin high, she challenged his authority; all confidence in the face of her impending punishment. Face twitching at the endearment, Kenshin felt disgust and annoyance roll in his gut.

"You will not speak to me so informally."

"A wife cannot speak endearingly to her husband anymore?" Sweetly mocking she smiled, dark red lips curving sensually as she looked to him through her lashes. Jaw clenching Kenshin felt his temper rise and fisted his hands against the rising tide.

"My _ex_-wife left over five years ago. The only woman allowed to speak to me so intimately is not in this room."

"Hmph." Crossing her legs, she busied herself with smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her dress. "You mean that scrawny raccoon from earlier? That violent little creature will never measure up to me. How low you have fallen, anata." Lifting a hand to the hard wooden desk, she ran her fingers over the surface suggestively, smiling as her words struck a nerve. "She can never love you like I did, _anata_. Like I still can." Leaning forward, the low cut of her dress dipped to show off her much more well-rounded figure. "I'm willing to take you back. We could be the family you always hoped for. You and me and our son, together as we should be." Dark eyes held much promise, glinting triumphantly when his fuming features relaxed. Seeing victory within her grasp, she yelped indignantly when a hand came down on her shoulder, shoving her back into her seat roughly.

"Hold your tongue, woman." Aoshi's passive characteristics were twisted into a repulsion of his own, glaring down at the woman as she glowered back. He could see it in her eyes that she thought his interruption annoying as he disturbed her supposed moment of success. What she did not see, or could not read, was the true meaning of the expression on Kenshin's face. Though Aoshi had not witnessed its appearance often, it was well known within the circle of a few conference rooms. Appropriately polite, seemingly passive, the less emotion he showed, the more dangerous he was. The woman did not know how close she was to destruction.

The breath pulling into his lungs was not forced, nor did it huff from his nostrils as he exhaled. Kenshin was completely calm. Shifting his weight in the chair, he folded his hands into his lap and briefly closed his eyes before parting red lashes to lift half-lazy eyes to the woman across from him. "You invite yourself to my party, attempt to steal my son, frighten him beyond reason, then proceed to have the nerve to insult my date and my intelligence. You have no right to claim your place as Kenji's mother. You gave that up five years ago. As for what you think we had, you forfeited that long before when you decided that money was more important to you. I have a family now that cares for me and only me. They have no desire for such materialistic things. And so, _Tomoe_, I neither need nor desire anything from you."

Rolling her eyes, Tomoe crossed her arms and looked away. "Don't be so foolish. Why would anyone be interested in you for anything but the money? You're not that good looking and you are too easy to walk all over. It was so boring being able to manipulate you so effortlessly. A woman needs a challenge in her life." Meeting his stormy gaze head on she lifted a brow and grinned sardonically. "Not to mention a man that can actually please her. Just wait, _anata_. It won't take long for that raccoon to realize how boring you are, too. Soon enough she'll have herself a man on the side and you'll be just a way of living."

Aoshi grimaced as she baited him and closed his eyes when a loud crack announced the torture of the poor desk between them. "Your mockery does not amuse me!" Biting back a growl he swallowed and took a deep breath to calm his wrath. "I am not interested in your poisonous opinions. My only concern is your misguided intentions for my son."

"He is my son." Trying to hide the trace of fear that shivered up her spine, Tomoe set her mouth in a frown.

Standing half-over the desk, his fist still clenched and throbbing against the hard surface, Kenshin glared down on her; annoyed and irritated by her insistence. "And what, pray tell, did you have in mind for _my_ son when you decided to try and take him away tonight?" Black eyes wavered only enough to narrow. "Were you gong to run away with him? Did you plan to take him somewhere I would never find you and live happily as mother and child?" Voice dripping sarcasm, he snorted when she grimaced ever so slightly. "I didn't think so." Standing straight, Kenshin indicated that she was to as well and Aoshi's hand gripped her below an armpit when she refused to comply. "I will not fall pray to your games a second time. I will not tolerate your presence near my child and I definitely will not be kind if I ever see you again."

Tossing her head as Aoshi led her to the door, she huffed a breath through her nose. "Not going to call the cops? You always were weak."

Lifting a red brow he widened his eyes innocently and spread his hands out to his sides. "I don't think I have to. Not when Kenji's _mother_ is enough to make you tremble in fear."

Opening the door Kenshin gestured for Aoshi to hand her over to the guard. Vaguely he heard the cheers and clapping of the partygoers announcing the new year's arrival. Half smiling, he thought of what a bittersweet transition it had been. "Escort her from the building. Make sure she is properly taken care of." The guard nodded and walked away and Kenshin sighed before glancing up as Aoshi pointed a finger to a room further down the hall. He only hoped the sweet part was for the beginning of this year.

x

Kaoru leaned back in one of the office chairs, her arms still wrapped tightly around the boy in her lap. His little arms refused to loosen from her neck, his face was buried into her shoulder, and his legs were clenched at her torso. The anxiety he felt was easy to read and it only pained her heart more. "It's alright now, sweetheart. You're safe." With one hand braced on his head, she kissed his hair, her insides quivering as his body shook with tears.

Misao hovered by the door, tears falling from her lashes and smearing mascara and eyeliner down her cheeks as she stared at the floor. Kaoru knew how much Misao blamed herself for the situation. She also knew in her heart that if there had been anything Misao could have done to prevent Kenji's short disappearance she would have done it. Sano seemed to think the same thing as he put an arm around her shoulders, and Kaoru was glad he was so understanding. Sensing Hiko's shifting ki, she was afraid the older man was not.

"I'm so sorry, Kaoru." Sobbing, her hands wiped at her face, uncaring of the mess she was making. "One of the waitresses crashed into me and stuff went everywhere. I was only going to put him down for a few seconds and I could still see him, but then there were all these people and someone shoved me and I knew… I just knew…" Breaking off as her tears reasserted themselves, Kaoru's lips pulled downward in sympathy.

"It's alright, Misao. I have a feeling something was going to happen no matter who was watching Kenji or what we all would have done." Trying to smile, Kaoru hugged Kenji tighter. "I'm just glad nobody got hurt." Clenching her eyes shut, Kaoru ducked her head into the boy's shoulder, her stomach churning. "If she… was truly desperate to take him away… she could have attacked you. Or any of us." _I know I would have just to get him back._

Though it was still unclear to Kaoru what the other woman's reasoning was. Why now, after five years, had she suddenly returned? Surely she would have come back sooner if she had wanted the boy. Was it mere fear that had kept her away? Was she afraid that Kenshin would not let her see her son? Kenshin was a kind man. There was no doubt in Kaoru's mind that he would never have denied his son the chance to know his mother if she truly wanted to be a part of his life. It wouldn't have mattered about the differences they themselves shared.

_But she did not act as if she really wanted anything to do with him._ Looking down at the quivering form held tight against her, Kaoru braced her chin on his shoulder and sighed as her eyes closed again. _She did not even attempt to comfort or persuade him. Though maybe she was aware of how difficult that was going to be after our conversation in the bathroom. That could have been the reason she confronted me so early on to begin with, just to see how strong our bond is. Even still… she was so cold and distant. No child would feel comfortable in her presence. And her ki was dark and resentful. I could tell without a doubt that she does not truly want anything to do with her son._ Heart constricting as she contemplated such callousness, Kaoru felt pity for the woman who had abandoned the warmth of a family. She would never know joy as Kaoru did. _What then was it that she wanted? Kenshin?_

Opening her eyes as something touched her knee, she looked down at Misao's figure as she knelt next to her. Smiling in reassurance she placed a finger under her friend's chin gently, grateful for a distraction from her thoughts. "Mi-love, you look just awful." Eyes twinkling when Misao pouted, she wiped at the slick moisture on her skin. "Do you really want Shinomori-san seeing you like this? And what about the party? People will question if you look anything but perfect."

Reaching for a box of tissues on the desk behind her, Kaoru plucked a few from the container and helped clean her up. "And don't use your sleeve. That kimono is too light of a color to handle your dark mascara. You'll ruin it." Chiding lightly, Kaoru was glad when Misao's tears stopped and she took over to handle the delicate areas around her eyes.

Minutes later, Misao's features now serene and presentable, her head lying on Kaoru's knee, they heard cheering from the party. Glancing at one of the clocks on the wall, Kaoru sighed at finding both hands straight up and down. It was now the new year and she didn't know how she felt about it anymore. Only half an hour earlier she was ready to greet it with sweet anticipation. Now a mixture of anxiety and fear had moved in to replace it.

The door opened slowly, allowing the noise into their small hide-a-way as Kenshin and Aoshi entered. Kaoru's heart jumped in joy and relief, glad that Tomoe was not with them and happy that Kenshin was once again within her sight. With such unsettling thoughts plaguing her mind she did not like the thought of Tomoe being with Kenshin without Kaoru herself present. Misao stood smoothly as the two conversed quietly with Sano and Hiko, their nodding heads agreeing or taking in everything that was said. At one point Sano smirked, his eyes darting to Kaoru, but nothing was spoken so that they could hear and she was left to agonize over the meaning.

Finally Aoshi held out a hand to Misao, his fingers curling tightly around hers when she joined him without a moment's pause. They shared a rare moment of public affection as his arms wrapped around her to pull her against his chest, and Kaoru smiled. She did not feel Misao was to be blamed and was only glad Misao's beloved felt the same way.

Sensing it was time to leave Kaoru stood as well, her head leaning into Kenji's exhausted form. She was thankful that his hysteria had finally worn itself out and he was sleeping once more. It would make the rest of the evening that much easier. Kenshin was next to her before her legs fully straightened, and all of the tension in her shoulders relaxed with his touch.

"Is he alright?"

Smiling warmly Kaoru leaned into Kenshin briefly, taking strength from his solid presence. "Yeah. He's sleeping now."

"Do you want me to carry him?"

"No." Spoken almost before Kenshin could finish, Kaoru swallowed and calmly repeated herself. "No. I would rather carry him, if that is alright."

Affection warmed his tense expression and he nodded. "That's just fine."

"I think it would be best if you didn't leave right away." Kaoru looked up curiously as Hiko spoke, thinking that to be an unreasonable request. Hadn't they gone through enough already? "People will question why you are not at the party right now and why we all suddenly left. It will hardly go without notice that Kenji was with another woman or the scene that commenced afterwards. I know this is not what you want to hear, Kamiya-san," Turning his attention to Kaoru, Hiko's dark eyes were sympathetic but firm. "but it will not be good for business if we do not smooth this out tonight."

Sighing, Kaoru nodded and looked to the floor. "We don't have to wake Kenji up, though, do we?"

"No. I think it would be best if he sleeps through this. And do not worry. It will not be for very long."

As they all returned to the party Kaoru could not help but think of how cold the rest of their night ended up being. Kenshin, while the perfect host with his smiling face and polite words, was distant, his eyes darkened by a golden blush. Trying to act out her own part, she smiled when she was needed to and responded in kind to any compliments or comments on her sleeping redhead. In the end what Hiko spoke was the truth, it did not seem to be very much longer before they were saying their goodbyes and slipping into the elevator. Though the clock, when she looked, was close to one.

Arms aching Kaoru readjusted Kenji's small frame, her muscles trembling as they burned and threatened to dissolve into jelly. "Would you like for me to hold him?" Questioning for the fourth time, Kaoru shook her head again. Having the child taken, even for a short amount of time, made her realize just how precious he was to her.

The limo ride was silent, the walk through the hotel a quiet click of their heels, and when they entered their room Kaoru did not have the strength to do more than walk through to Kenji's bedroom. Her heart was heavy, her mind was finally falling into the fear and desperation she had suppressed throughout the crisis, and as her emotions took over and blended with exhaustion she could feel the maelstrom coming.

Kenji did not stir as she stripped him of his tiny suit and dressed him in soft pajamas before letting down his fine strands of hair. Tucking him in, she watched him for several seconds, calmed by the way his small chest rose and fell and steadied by the reassurance of his presence. He was safe here. There was no one that could get to him. Leaving him with a kiss on the forehead, she stood, brushed his hair back one last time, and headed into the bathroom.

She was relieved to find it empty, though it only brought to her attention more clearly how abandoned she felt since Kenshin had retreated to his own room the moment they had arrived. Worried about him, and wondering if her worst fear over Tomoe's motives were true, she delayed the confrontation as she freshened up. Washing her hands and removing the ornaments from her hair, she stared at the dark reflection of her face in the mirror. There were things that apparently needed to be done and much that needed to be discussed.

x

Kenshin stood out on the balcony that exited off his room, breathing deep the cold night air. Looking out over the city as the sky lit with fireworks welcoming the coming of the new year served to calm his soul. Just as the roof of his own building at home helped to center himself, the euphoria of being up several stories here brought about the same effect.

It had been hard not to let his anger control him and hurt Tomoe as she had hurt his son. Even harder not to lash out when she had mocked him so casually to his face and insulted the woman he loved and the fragile dream they was coaxing into a reality. Now, alone with his thoughts, he could tell how she had dug her poisons into him again. Her venomous words were breeding doubt and uncertainty in his mind.

Could she truly be right? Could Kaoru not be as true as he thought her to be? Though a part of his mind raged in defense of her, another part that was tainted by Tomoe's insinuations whispered suspicions. How great of an act it would be for her to trick him into loving her. She would have everything she could ever want, and why shouldn't she? With one of the richest men in Japan at her beck and call, he would gladly give her whatever she wanted. A much easier way of living than struggling with a small dojo and waiting tables at a restaurant. If all she had to do was pretend to love, what was that in exchange?

_But she could not have fooled everyone. _All of the people close to him had spoken only praise of Kaoru. From Ishijima to Hiko, who was a hard man to impress, they had all agreed that she was a much better choice in comparison to Tomoe. Even Aoshi, who had Misao as a source, spoke kindly of Kaoru. There was nothing to even suggest that she was corrupt and poisonous. Sighing, Kenshin dropped his head in his hands. _Maybe it is myself I am finding fault in, then. Why, truly, could I believe that I am enough for her? That I am good enough for her?_

A soft knock sounded on his door, repeating when he did not answer right away. Stepping back into his room slowly, he shut and locked the balcony access, suddenly fearful of being left alone with Kaoru. This confrontation would tell him everything he needed to know. In only a few moments he would discover whether he was lacking in some way, if he was somehow unable to give her what she needed, or the unlikely event that she herself was untrue.

Slowly the door opened after he called quietly for her to enter and he watched as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. He had not thought to turn the lights on, not with the way brilliant flashes of fireworks burst across the floor and walls. Taking several steps forward as her bright irises found the outline of his shadow, she left a generous space between them before she stopped. Searching his face quietly she realized she would have to be the one to speak first, and so gestured vaguely behind her.

"Kenji is in bed now. I… I think he will be fine." Nodding his head Kenshin looked away, unable to bear the words that were sure to fall from her lips next. Frowning, Kaoru took another step forward, her hand reaching as if to touch him before stopping short. She remembered the last time his eyes had been as golden as this and she did not wish to repeat the same mistakes she had made then. Sensing her hesitance, Kenshin trembled in fear that his assumptions must be correct. "Kenshin…" Unable to word her worry delicately, Kaoru sighed. "Are you alright?"

Irises as bright as the fireworks flashing behind him shot to her, looking her over in wonder as he could clearly see the worry and anxiety on her face. There was no faking that look. _"She told me that she loves you too."_ Kenji's smiling face appeared in his mind's eye as he remembered all at once the confession she had made to the boy about her feelings. Lifting shaky fingers to brush over her cheek, he wondered at how big of a fool he was. How could he let that conniving snake trick him again?

Slim fingers lifted to curl around his wrist, her brow furrowing even as she leaned into his touch. "What is it, Kenshin?" Pausing, her jaw clenched as she frowned angrily. "Did she say something to upset you? I don't understand why you wanted to speak to her alone, especially after what she did to Kenji. You should have just called the police."

There was much vehemence in her words but Kenshin could sense a rising suspicion as well, and the abrupt realization caught him by surprise. So this was the meaning behind that look at the party. Snorting out a stunned laugh, Kenshin let his hand drop to her shoulder, his other arm lifting to touch her bicep. Her frown deepened at his amusement and he spoke up quickly through shortened breaths to hold off her temper.

"My little warrior maiden. What is it that you think was said?" Her cheeks darkened, though with the fire still alight in her eyes he could not tell if she was embarrassed or angered by his evasive question.

"I _hope_ you explained in simple enough terms that she is not welcome and _will_ be dealt with accordingly if she is ever seen again. Though I would still like to know why you didn't just call the cops on her and have it dealt with tonight." It was his turn to frown, one brow lifting as she practically demanded he tell her what she wanted to hear. Which was no more than a sworn testament that he not have, nor ever again have, any contact with the woman who had given birth to his child. Though the situation warranted nothing less, Kenshin was surprised by how fiercely his sweet Kaoru was commanding such a stipulation. She was not the type of woman to give ultimatums. At least he had assumed so up unto that point.

_She is reacting with the ferocity of a she-tiger who has just found an unwanted stranger in her nest. But maybe it is not only her child she is worried for. _A smile twitched the corner of his lips and he leaned his forehead into hers. "Kaoru, are you sure it is not yourself that needs reassurance?"

"I…" Muscles relaxing as she dropped out of rage, Kaoru lowered her eyes away. "What do you mean?" Fingers bracing under her chin to tilt her gaze back to him, his irises bored into hers, patiently waiting. Worrying her lip, Kaoru's eyes closed. "She is very beautiful. It is easy to see why she once won your heart." There was a long pause, tormenting Kaoru over his reaction, but when he spoke it was in a voice touched with anger.

"Are you intending to insult me so openly?" Dark lashes flew apart and saw first the hurt on his face. "I never would have thought you would be so cruel, Kaoru, to tear into such an old wound."

"Kenshin…" Cupping his face in both hands she realized her mistake too late.

"Do you not think I know how big of a fool I was?" Eyes hardening in remembrance, Kenshin's hands dug harshly into her biceps. "Oh yes, beautiful she is, but it just barely hides the festering decay of her insides. I know this better than anyone ever will. Did you truly think I would fall prey to that depravity a second time?"

"Kenshin, I'm sorry, that's not…" Her breath caught as she was pulled against his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around her back and pinning her close to his heart.

"Why would I wish to make myself so miserable? Why would I choose a life of suffering over joy? Why would I _want _to leave a woman that would willingly stand and fight for the safety of her child?" Smiling as she trembled against him, his voice softened to a whisper. "Your beauty makes her pale in comparison, koishii. Why would I trade your purity for deceit? Why would I ever want to give you up? Kaoru," Leaning into her as she buried her face in his shoulder and her arms tensed around his neck, his heart ached with his admission. "don't you know how much I love you?"

"You… you've never said so…" Small and childlike, her voice made his smile widen.

"I had hoped that actions speak more than words, koishii."

Attempting to laugh at his quip, Kaoru sniffled lightly. "I suppose but… sometimes it's nice to hear it as well."

"Yes. I will agree with that, Kaoru."

As the silence stretched and the fireworks became fewer, filling the room with darkness, Kaoru recognized the expectance in the stillness. Lips bowing, a soft chuckle pushed her nose into his collar and she relaxed her arms enough to play with the opened lapel of his shirt. He had already removed his jacket and tie long before she had knocked on the door and for a moment she envied his comfort. "Kenshin…" Mildly chiding, her fingers trailed tentatively over the skin at his neck. "of course I love you." Biting her lip as the atmosphere shifted, their concerns laid to rest and anxieties quieted, Kaoru felt the intimacy of their situation spread over her mind.

Like the way warm air brought drowsiness in winter her eyelids drooped heavily; not in fatigue but anticipation. Though the evening had not progressed the way either of them had wished, the activities of the party dimming the beauty and excitement of a promise made in the dark of night, Kaoru could not help but dwell on those words of assurance. She was afraid her thoughts might lead to disappointment, since their day had ended so unfavorably, but she had always been a dreamer and she was used to such ends.

"Kaoru…" Slipping her fingers around the opened lapel of his shirt, she clenched her eyes shut and waited for the words that would inevitably end their night. "I must confess that I have always had trouble sleeping." Flabbergasted, Kaoru blinked and pulled back to look up at his serious expression curiously. "I find, however, that it is much easier…" Lifting a hand to trail his fingers from her temple to her chin, his irises warmed to gold. "when you are somewhere near." Cupping her face in both hands, he leaned his forehead into hers. "Would you stay with me tonight?"

Smiling tremulously, Kaoru's cheeks darkened, her hands smoothing down the soft cloth of his shirt to settle over his heart. "Of course I will, Kenshin."


	11. Wandering Thoughts

Disclaimer: I… well I think envy is a sin. And if it doesn't belong to me and I want it anyway…

**Chapter 11: Wandering Thoughts**

Waking with the smell of jasmine lodged in his nose was probably the most enjoyable experience of Kenshin's life. Or so his dazed mind told him as he lay in perfect contentment with its sweet aroma wafting around him. As other separate sensations plagued his body, however, he began to remember just why the smell came in a sharp second on his most enjoyable scale. With soft skin touching him from toe to hip to the side of his head, there was no doubt that some things were just much more important than scent.

Like the _taste _of salty jasmine skin.

Grinning foolishly, his muscles so incredibly relaxed and more than exhausted from a wonderful night's workout, he let his half-parted lashes fall completely closed once again. A part of him worried about his weight, as she was lying half underneath him, but with the smooth slope of her back pillowing his head and his fingers weaved and curled loosely with hers he didn't truly want to move. _Of course if I do try I would probably wake her, so best not to._ Another lopsided grin and he agreed readily with his logic. Anything, if he just didn't have to leave the comfort of his position. He liked the way her body pressed against him and her legs tangled with his.

Floating back into the world of dreams, his brain a mush of delight, his brow twitched on a frown as a loud shrilling ring interrupted his mind's reenactment of many favorable moments. Cursing the noise angrily, his lips murmuring ghosts of heated words, the sound stopped and he sighed happily. Seconds later it returned, louder and more insistent, and it pulled a reaction from the woman beneath him.

Thoughts snapping together in an imitation of his son's toy train tracks, Kenshin pushed himself up and snatched the phone off the side table before it fully rose into that screeching octave a third time. Holding it out at arms length, he focused his eyes and attention on the beautiful angel now sheltered under the curve of his body. Sleepily she shifted, a cute sound of denial for the real world rubbing innocently against her throat, and she brought her hand to press under her chin as she smiled. Sighing in relief as she did not fully rouse, Kenshin adjusted his weight to his elbow so he could leave several small kisses down the bare length of her shoulder.

Lost in a few precious moments of worship, Kenshin blinked as he realized the phone he still held at arms length was buzzing and squawking in a bid to grab his attention. Rather bemused with his own actions, he reluctantly rolled away from the woman in his bed and fitted the speaker to his ear.

"H-…" Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Hello?"

"About damn time! Did you knock the phone across the room?"

Smiling crookedly, Kenshin glanced sideways at the naked backside in his peripheral vision. It was too appealing with the sheet barely a tangle of cloth at her legs. "No, but that was probably a better idea, Father."

Hiko lifted a brow. It had been years since his son had called him father. "Hmph, so you were purposely ignoring me."

"Well, that's what happens when you call someone at…" Blinking and yawning, Kenshin stretched to find the alarm clock, his downy violet eyes widening as the red numbers came into focus. "Good Kami-sama. What the hell are you calling me at six-thirty in the morning for?"

"Wake-up call." Voice dry, Hiko made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a growl. "It's business. Why the hell else? So get up and get dressed and meet Shinomori-san downstairs in thirty minutes."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Kenshin groaned. "I thought we were going to have the day off. It's New Year for Kami sake. Who in their right mind is going to want to talk business?"

"Don't test me, boy. Just do as I say."

The dial tone droned in his ear and Kenshin sighed. _No rest for the wicked._ Hitting the off button, Kenshin laid the phone down and rolled to the side, staring for as long as he dared at the figure of long limbs, firm muscles, and silky hair lying next to him. He wanted nothing more then to curl back around her and fall into the same sweet bubble of ecstasy that she was drowning in. Running a calloused finger carefully down her spine, he leaned forward to follow the trail with his lips. _I promise when we return home, koishii, that I will dedicate a full weekend to you. Though I'm sure there will be many throughout the rest of our lives._

Content with the thought, Kenshin sat up to slide off the other side of the bed.

Party clothes lay in forgotten piles on the floor, forcing his lips to twitch as he could clearly see how they had gotten there. Locating his underwear, he quickly slipped them on and took a couple minutes just picking up after their mess. Lovingly hanging her kimono over the back of a chair he let the silk slide through his fingers, remembering how easily it had slithered off her skin. Feeling his gut clench, Kenshin smiled wryly and turned away. If he wasn't careful he was going to make the day longer than it was already going to seem.

Tip-toeing to her side of the bed he brushed a finger over her bangs to uncover her thick lashes. Smiling affectionately, he dropped his hands to the tousled blankets and situated them gently over her naked body. With his absence he was afraid she would get cold. Sighing in regret that he would not be there when she woke, Kenshin twisted to walk toward the bathroom. Hiko had not given him much time.

After a quick shower Kenshin dressed in the bathroom as well, since he didn't rust himself to stay away from the little tiger in his bed. Not with the way she had repositioned herself while he had been away. Pulling out a casual suit as he had studied the way her arm outstretched across the area he had vacated, a small frown tugging on her lips as she was quite unable to find what she was looking for, was not making leaving any easier.

Instead he let himself out through his son's room. Needing to check on him anyway, he was quite happy to find him still sleeping peacefully, his little body sprawled in comfortable contentment. Kenshin only hoped his dreams had been kind.

Halfway through a quick cup of coffee Kenshin lifted a brow when someone knocked on the door. Looking at the clock he was a little peeved to notice he still had five minutes. Stalking over to wrench it open, he sucked in an irritated breath and froze. With the small woman nestled in his arms Aoshi looked incredibly ruffled and as ill-tempered as he felt.

"I do not want her staying by herself."

Knowing he was thinking about the situation from last night, Kenshin nodded and stepped back. "Of course." Shutting the door after them, Kenshin squinted as something bright and prism-like flashed in his retinas. Dazed for a second, he followed the taller man into the main receiving space and quirked a grin when he turned just enough to show the small, feminine hand tangled in his shirt. _I guess I'm not the only one who had a good night._

Clearing his throat softly as Aoshi bent to settle her on the couch, Kenshin pointed toward the room off to his left. "You can put her in Kaoru's room if you want. She did not sleep there." Trying to be as nonchalant as possible, Kenshin ground his teeth at the ridiculous urge to grin stupidly. He was not a teenager and he was definitely not about to kiss and tell.

Hefting her without comment, Aoshi crossed to the room and disappeared inside. Within seconds he was back out and ready to leave.

Finishing his coffee quickly Kenshin grabbed his jacket and followed, shutting the door tightly and making sure it locked behind them. With as precious as the room's contents were, it was nearly too hard to walk away. Sighing as they entered the elevator, Kenshin smiled and leaned into the railing.

The new year was perfect. It was all perfect. Kenji was now content, having finally found someone to call mother; a woman that had no qualms stepping in where another had been found lacking. She was compassionate, funny, loving, and strong; perfect in every way, and completely innocent to boot. _At least, she was…_

Letting his eyes fall shut as he thought of everything she had given him, his smile wavered with the strength of his happiness. Admitting that he had been surprised was an understatement. Though it was probably insulting to think she would be anything but innocent. He was merely glad that he had been able to restrain himself enough not to hurt her unintentionally. It had been quite awhile for him and all the self-control in the world wouldn't have been enough to keep his hands from shaking when he touched her.

The elevator doors dinged to announce their arrival on the bottom floor and Kenshin sighed as he stepped out. Knowing Kaoru had never done anything as intimate as what had occurred during those hours of night made leaving all that much harder. He wanted to be there for her, to watch her wake up, to see how she greeted him, to know if she was in any type of pain and then pamper her all day to make her forget it. _Though maybe it will be better for Kenji if he has her all day to himself._ Knowing how selfish he could be, Kenshin was afraid he might monopolize the woman and make his son angry.

_I will endure. Though I only hope Kaoru doesn't take it the wrong way._

Frowning, Kenshin made a detour to the front desk and exchanged a few quick words with the receptionist. Smiling when the man complied readily enough, he took the card that was handed to him, penned a few smooth symbols on its white surface and handed it back. Feeling a little lighter, Kenshin returned to Aoshi's waiting figure. The other man said nothing, but then Kenshin had been around him long enough to interpret the meanings of silence. Cracking a grin, he stepped in front of him to walk outside to the waiting limo.

x

They met Sano and Hiko at a restaurant where they exchanged greetings before sitting around the private table. Feeling thankful that they had already ordered coffee, Kenshin filled his own cup and sipped at it gratefully. Fatigue was wearing on him, and with as little sleep as he had gotten he needed the extra energy to survive the day. Especially since his father saw fit to start it so incredibly early.

"So what is this all about, Hiko-sama?" Replacing his mug on the table, Kenshin rolled his shoulders and sighed.

"Unfortunately today is not going to be a day of relaxation. After last night there are many issues we need to smooth over and take care of." Lifting a stack of files for reference, his face contorted angrily. "That escapade with your ex-wife has left quite the impression on many of our business contacts. Not to mention the papers. Luckily I was able to convince most of the important ones that the situation was a harmless misunderstanding that included a great quantity of alcohol."

Frowning, Kenshin sat his cup down. "This will not reflect badly on Kaoru though." The statement was no less than a demand and Hiko quirked a grin.

"No. In fact, even without much help she has won over everyone's loyalty. Quite a few of the people I have talked to were more than interested in her ferocity in getting Kenji back. So you can relax, it is not the girl you need to worry about."

"Then what is?"

"Reputation, as always, is a main part of business relations. It would not look good for anyone to be trading, selling, or buying from a business that cannot handle their own internal affairs."

Sitting back in his chair Kenshin played with the lip of his coffee mug, his features thoughtful. "If last night's fumble has not reflected badly on any of this because of your guidance, Hiko-sama, then I will assume you have found out more about Tomoe's contact."

"I have." Nodding his head he flopped open the manila folder, slipping a picture off the top to hold up. "This man's name is Kiyosato Akira. Tomoe's date to the party last night." Kenshin frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Do you recognize him?"

"Vaguely." Shaking his head, he drained the rest of his coffee and leaned forward to take the photo in hand. "It's been awhile, but I think I remember him working for me in the main branch."

"Quite." Flipping through the rest of the file, Hiko pulled out a pair of reading glasses from his jacket pocket and donned them to read the fine print. "I pulled his entire record and it is actually very impressive. He's been with the company since nearly the beginning. Worked right under you, in fact, as an intern fresh out of college. Went straight into desk work after his internship was up. Real good with numbers. In fact too good."

"Is there something else that is bothering you?" Aoshi spoke up quietly, his hands folded neatly over the table.

"Yeah. The man's a high-end con artist." Sano's tired voice spoke of an all-nighter, his eyes tinged slightly red as he leaned forward and sucked down an entire cup of coffee himself. "Never would've noticed either, until he screwed up with this little venture."

"I have my theories on that, though, Sanosuke-san."

"Yeah, the woman. She nearly got his ass caught once before already. Makes you wonder why he even listens to that conniving cu…"

"What is going on?" Becoming impatient, Kenshin cut off Sano's input, reaching across the table to snap up the folder himself.

"Kiyosato Akira worked in your financing department, Kenshin, until about five years ago when he moved to America."

Fingers dropping to his lap as the numbers spread out before him started forming a pattern, Kenshin felt something dark clench at his gut. "Five years ago, when the business almost went under."

Leaning over to slide the information close enough to study, Aoshi's features tightened. "It would have been child's play for him to strip a couple of the lower departments of their funding and direct it elsewhere." The slight form of irritation on his face turned to outright rage after a brief couple seconds and Aoshi shoved the folder away from him.

"I checked all of the numbers myself. Multiple times. These deposits were not in our records." Cold blue irises swung to Sano. "Where did you find these?"

Yawning Sano shrugged, a hand ruffling through his hair. "In the weirdest backup document. It was labeled something strange, and I wouldn't have looked at it except I'd never heard of it. And it was buried under all this insignificant data. Of course, parts of it were corroded as well, as if he tried to erase it and couldn't."

"So he hid it instead."

"I suppose he figured he didn't need to worry about it being found as long as he was out of the country by then."

"And when we didn't find it he showed back up looking for employment here." Hiko's deep voice was bordering weary but Kenshin could see the anger in his eyes. "I'm the one that hired him, since he already had experience with the company. Something we needed after our opening here. He was intellectual and completed his work on time, so I never gave him a second thought. Though it seems he has perfected his thieving." Pulling off his glasses he rubbed two fingers over the bridge of his nose. "His gleaned more than just a couple grand, son, and while the company's not exactly hurting, we have had to break off and decline deals I would have much rather kept or taken."

Pulling in a steady breath, trying to remain calm, Kenshin pictured what Kaoru would do in this situation. A small smile tugged on his lips, her temper always quick to ignite, and he lowered his jaw as he let a long breath out his nose. "For now let's concentrate on what needs to be done. The money can't be replaced, but we can solve the issue before it becomes an even larger liability." Signaling for more coffee, Kenshin once again pulled the folder closer to study. "Tell me everything you know."

x

Misao stirred sleepily, her body quite exhausted and heavy as she tried to blink open blue irises to sluggishly take in her surroundings. Startled at how alien her setting was she darted bolt upright in the bed, her head whipping around in search of Aoshi. Momentarily apprehensive, her heartbeat quickening in anxiety, it took several seconds for her half-asleep brain to remember mute details from very early that morning.

"_Wake up, my love." A soft hand brushing over her cheek. "There is an emergency at work… Himura-san will need me." Protesting, she snuggled into his chest, her arms wrapping tightly around his torso. Amused laughter filled her ears and she was lifted off the bed. "Very well, little one… but I will not leave you in here alone."_

Sighing, her body flopping back onto the bed and she grinned foolishly. Aoshi-sama was the best man she had ever met and she was glad that he was all hers. Stretching her arms above her to the ceiling, her eyes caught as stayed on her left hand and her grin wavered as she bit her lip. _Mine, forever._

_Well, soon enough, anyway._

Dropping her arms, she studied her surroundings with little interest. It didn't take long for her to recognize the interior of Kaoru's room and Misao pursed her lips. Kenji must have been entirely too upset to sleep by himself if she were occupying her best friend's bed. Lip trembling Misao rolled to her side and balled her fists into her chest, suddenly sobered. Whatever Kaoru and Aoshi said to the contrary, she knew it was all her fault. Knew that Hiko and Himura probably would not be able to forgive her for it, either. It hurt to think that young Kenji would never be entrusted to her to watch ever again; more painful knowing that she had somehow lost respect from her peers. She was completely infatuated with the boy, and enjoyed getting to watch him. He already felt like a little nephew she needed to protect and spoil.

Groaning as her thoughts turned depressive, Misao rolled out of bed. _Might as well get up if I'm not going to get anymore sleep. Besides, I'm sure I'll get to spend time with the boy… as long as Aoshi-sama is there, and that won't be too bad._ Stretching her arms high above her head, Misao purred as her back popped. It felt nice to get to sleep in, and as her eyes slid over the alarm clock she knew it wasn't just a couple of stolen minutes, either.

Padding out into the living area of the suite, uncaring of her pajama clad body since she knew Himura wouldn't be there anyway, she made her way across the open floor and to the coffee maker. Thankful that someone had reset the timer, she poured herself a cup and sipped at it happily. Though sleeping in until eleven had done her body some good that didn't mean she was brimming with as much energy as usual. _Someone _had been more than zealous the night before with his idea of bringing in the new year, and Misao was pretty sure she was going to be feeling the aftereffects all day. Not that she minded.

Glancing once more to the hand wrapped around the coffee cup, she grinned, her eyes closing as she sighed. _Everything that happened last night was last year. This is this year and I'm going to enjoy it. Besides, your supposed to learn from the past, not live in it._ Giggling, her eyes still closed, she nearly jumped out of her skin when something tugged on her pant leg.

Hot coffee spewed over the lip of her mug, burning her fingers and she hissed out a breath instinctively. Ducking her head through her outstretched arms, her hand throbbing as the liquid cooled, she looked for the perpetrator. With small fingers still fisted into her pants, Kenji tilted his head up to stare back, his eyelids heavy as he yawned.

"Oh… hey little guy…" Twisting carefully so as not to upset his grip, she sat down the mug and reached for a towel. "What's up?"

"Nuthin." Yawning wider, his hand dropped to rub at his eyes. "Hungry."

Laughing softly, she patted him on the head. "Yeah, me too." Chewing on her lip, knowing he was still half-asleep, Misao knelt in front of him and took a deep breath. "Hey, you know… your Aunt Misao's really sorry about last night." Slowly his eyes blinked at her, and she wasn't quite sure he understood what she was trying to say but she wanted him to know anyway. "I should have been more careful with you and I wasn't. I hope you're not mad at me."

A small smile pulled at his lip and he shook his head. "Not mad. You're fun, Aunt Misao."

"You mean… you're not mad at me at all for what happened last night? Even after that mean lady took you away for awhile."

Shaking his head harder, sleep lifting from his eyes, his smile turned to a grin. "Nope, Mommy saved me. She promised she would protect me and she did."

Chuckling as tears pulled at her eyelashes, Misao stood. "She sure did, didn't she? So," Clapping her hands together, she turned and made for Kenji's bedroom. "let's get her lazy butt outta bed and order some breakfast. Whaddya say?" Pushing open the already ajar door, Misao was halfway into the room before Kenji's small voice called out suddenly.

"But Mommy's not in there."

Blinking rapidly at the empty bed, Misao frowned incomprehensively. "But…" Shoulders slumping, she whipped around and stared at Kenji's small form still standing next to the countertop. Finally wide eyes swung to the only other door in the suite not open, the corner of her mouth slowly stabbing upwards in realization. _Holy sh…_

Throwing a brief smirk at Kenji, Misao quick stepped to the door of Himura's room, hearing Kenji's little feet scamper up behind her as he became curious. Careful to peek her head inside first to make sure nothing indecent would scare the kid, she let him through only after finding the blankets securely covering naked skin.

"Mommy slept in Daddy's bed?"

_Go Kaoru!_

Thought slightly sardonic, Misao shrugged a shoulder and watched the boy skip into the room and climb up onto the mattress next to Kaoru's happily snoozing form.

"Maybe she just needed some company."

Pensively Kenji nodded his head, and Misao was glad he accepted the explanation. She only hoped he didn't ask why she was naked. "Well, we did all sleep together before when me and Daddy had bad dreams. Maybe Mommy had a bad dream, too, and needed Daddy." Scrunching his face up as another thought occurred to him, he looked to Misao quizzically. "Aren't Mommies and Daddies _supposed _to sleep in the same bed all the time?"

Liking this insight into the situation, Misao nodded quickly. "Yeah, I think you're right. It's pretty normal for them to share a bed, since Kaoru's your Mommy and all."

Muffled voices drifted through the barrier of warmth that surrounded Kaoru's conscious and teased her back into reality. Humming softly in the back of her throat, her muscles protesting the movements as she adjusted her body even in the slightest, she blinked open languid sapphire irises to stare at the curious gaze of her son.

"Good-morning, Kaachan."

The smile on her face widened as he greeted her cheerfully, and her contentment deepened. "Good-morning, Kenji-chan." Lifting a hand, she brushed stray hairs from his face. "How are you feeling, baby?"

"Good."

"That's wonderful." Smiling affectionately, she propped herself up on an elbow and kissed him softly on the forehead. As her eyes focused past his red hair Kaoru blinked at a smirking Misao, one eyebrow cocked in question and infuriating amusement. Unsure how to respond, she felt confidence in their relationship and made a face, smiling when the smaller girl burst into laughter. Kenji pulled back to study their expressions curiously.

Still laughing breathlessly, Misao held out a hand and encouraged Kenji with a wave. "Come on, little guy. Let's order some breakfast while we let Mom take a shower."

The door clicked shut, their now muted voices discussing what to order up for their breakfast at nearly mid-day. Sighing, Kaoru flopped back into the pile of silken pillows and sheets, stealing a moment of time to think of nothing but the sweet trappings of love she had been introduced to. Biting her lip at the wonderfully needful tone she could recall in her new lover's voice, her heart fluttered and she suppressed the desire to giggle like a schoolgirl. Pressing her face into the mattress and pulling up a fistful of bedclothes to hide under, her mind halted at the familiar scent of Kenshin's soap and the unfamiliar scent of post-love sweat.

Though it had all been beautiful and life-changing in a way she would never be able to describe, she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the latter fragrance's strong output. Moving to sit up, her bare legs sliding sensually across the sheets, her frown deepened when they came into contact with one another. They were sticky and sore, slightly raw where her thighs rubbed together, and the splendor of the evening began to peal away with the dawning of reality. Quirking a grin, Kaoru shifted to slide off the bed. It was like enjoying a night of alcohol and then dealing with the hangover.

_Though sore muscles and sweaty skin are pretty minor details. And I would rather sleep with Kenshin then get drunk any day._

Pursing her lips, Kaoru grimaced as her feet connected with the floor. She really hoped the morning after wouldn't be like this every time, though. Surely it couldn't since Misao had never complained, and she knew better than to think her best friend would be able to keep something so irritating to herself. _I'm just not used to it, is all. It's just like swinging a bokken for the first time. My muscles aren't used to the exercise. All I need is a little… practice._ Snorting out a laugh, Kaoru rolled her eyes, halfway glad that Kenshin wasn't anywhere around. He'd either tease her to no end, or feel guilty about it. Neither outcome sounded very appealing.

Wondering where he was and feeling slightly put out that he had left her alone in bed after such an intimate night, even if she didn't feel like facing him just yet, she made her way to the bathroom. At that moment she didn't really want to face anything until she took a shower. And just maybe scalding hot water would do her legs some good.

She was just beginning to feel the blossoming of hurt at Kenshin's absence when she exited his bedroom, wrapped in a bath robe since she had nothing else to wear out of the shower. Misao and Kenji were flipping through TV stations, Misao looking as exhausted as she felt. The smell of coffee directed Kaoru's feet towards the small countertop, and as she poured herself a cup she cleared the emotion from her throat before she spoke up.

"So… uh, where'd Kenshin and Shinomori-san go? They said they wouldn't have to work today."

Careful to keep her back to Misao in case she didn't like the answer, she frowned when her friend sounded rather bored with the question. "Oh, I don't know, something important came up."

"And? Did they say it would take long, or what?"

"Dunno. I wasn't really awake when they left." A knock on the door forced their conversation in the background as Misao gave a cry of delight and ran to open it. A well-dressed gentleman came in with a cart full of food, a newspaper balanced beside the dishes, and had no more than parked the thing halfway into the room before he was walking back to the door for something else. By this time Kenji had joined the smaller woman, both unloading the cart instead of waiting, and Kaoru shook her head.

"These are for you, miss." Stepping back instinctively as something large and bright was shoved at her, she gasped in surprise and was slow to comprehend. Patiently the man held out the large vase of flowers, intent that she take them from him, and she hesitantly obeyed at his knowing smile. "Mr. Himura requested them special for you."

"T-thank you." Feeling the hurt that had slowly grown disappear in one smooth sweep, she bit her lip and sniffed the lovely irises happily.

"Ah… there is a note as well." Pointing to a small plastic flower fork shoved inside the bouquet, he smiled again and backed out to leave. Skipping over to Kaoru as she sat the vase down, Misao badgered her excitedly.

"So what's it say?" The door clicked closed after the man exited with the cart, and Kaoru fished out the note.

"Give me a second and I'll find out." Sticking her tongue out again at her friend, Kaoru opened the envelope and removed the thick card. Only about the size of her palm, she was surprised to see the large kanji neatly printed into the very middle. It was a sincere symbol of regret and sorrow. Frowning, unsure of its meaning, Kaoru looked up and watched the confusion on her face melt Misao's excitement.

"What?" Nearly sharp, the smaller woman snapped the card out of her hand and looked it over herself. "He's sorry? Sorry for what? For making you happy?" Completely indignant and becoming angry at the distress rising on her best friend's features, Misao flipped the card irritably and caught sight of the rest of the message on the back. "Oh, well…" Blushing as she read a few words in, she quickly handed the card back. "he's real sorry alright."

Heart jumping in renewed excitement, Kaoru hurriedly read over the other half of the letter and bit her lip to hold down her grin. _"I'm sorry… for not being there when you woke, and missing the chance to relive every wonderful moment."_ It was signed with love, and Kaoru's eyes closed as Misao giggled.

"What's it say?" Wanting to know too, Kenji tugged on her elbow, demanding she let him look at the note as well.

Blushing, Kaoru stuttered a couple uncertainties before tucking the note into the pocket of her bathrobe and bending at the waist. "He says he's sorry he had to leave this morning and that'll he'll make it up to both of us later."

"Yeeaaah." Sarcasm laced every syllable and Kaoru glared at Misao's input. The impish girl grinned widely.

They made short work of the food, clearing away any debris in front of the TV so they could watch the news as they ate. Kenji was slightly upset that he had missed the fireworks, but as they got to see a recap of most of them on the large screen, he was able to content himself with the substitute.

"Don't worry, little man. We'll see what we can do about making it up to you." Winking, Misao rubbed his hair, and as sunlight shined through the opened windows Kaoru caught a glimpse of the shiny stone planted on her third finger. Blinking in astonishment, she sat up from her sprawled position on the floor and made a grab for her best friend's hand.

"Misao… is this?" A full spread grin was growing across Misao's features and she nodded happily.

"Took you long enough to notice." Breathless with her joy and impatience, she cradled the hand to her chest. "He asked me last night. Or rather this morning." Smiling down at the beautiful combination of gold and diamonds, she closed her eyes and squealed, her normal personality taking back over. "I'm so excited, Kaoru. He was just so sweet and nervous, and it was all just so perfect that I couldn't contain myself and I'm afraid that I didn't even let him fully finish but I couldn't wait one more second and…" A flush burned her cheeks and neck and she stuttered to a stop, glancing down at Kenji's curious face. "And well… we haven't had much, uh, time to talk about any of the details just yet, but… I really want a spring wedding, so that means we only have a few months or we'll have to wait until next year." She spoke this with such a sour look on her face that Kaoru laughed. "You don't think he'll make me wait that long do you?"

"Oh, Mi-love, I doubt he could deny you anything." Her smile returned and Kaoru held out her hand to get a better look at the engagement ring. "And don't worry, I plan on helping you out with whatever you need."

"Really? I was so hoping you would because I'm afraid I'm going to be rather scatterbrained until, oh next decade, and I won't get anything accomplished."

"I know, that's what I'm here for."

"So…" Stacking the plates and standing, Misao carted them to the counter. "What about you and Himura? I'm actually kinda surprised he didn't get you a ring first."

"We… haven't talked about marriage, Misao."

"I doubt it's too far in the future, though."

"What's marriage?" Following the conversation with more interest as Kaoru and his father were introduced into the context, Kenji sat up and looked at Kaoru inquiringly.

"Uh, one step at a time, Misao." Shooting her a quick look, she took a breath before trying to explain.

x

Kenshin yawned again, his hand lifting to cover his mouth when he was unable to stale the action. Earning another glare from dark irises, he ignored the meaning and slumped further into his chair. Already mid-afternoon and he was in imminent danger of falling asleep after his caffeine crash. Loosening his tie and working at the top button of his shirt, his jacket already discarded, he leaned into the chair arm and rubbed at his burning eyes.

A soft click lifted his attention to the desk in front of him and he smiled a thanks at Sano's secretary, reaching automatically for the full cup of coffee. As silence momentarily stilled the conversation, he knew everyone was similarly grateful and taking the opportunity to empty their mugs as quickly as possible. Wondering how awful he was going to feel later, Kenshin ran a hand back through his bangs and tried to sit a little straighter. From across the room Sano began to curse, as if the coffee had roused his anger back to life.

"Dammit! I can't believe this shit!" Glancing at the reproachful expression on his secretary's face as she walked out, he whispered a grudging apology. As soon as the door closed his voice rose again. "To think that scheming little…" Hiko gave him a glare this time and he clenched his jaw irritably. "It's not like it matters. It's just the four of us. Do you think we're going to get fired because we're using foul language?" Demeanor turning more and more sour as the hours rolled by, he threw out an arm, his voice deep in sarcasm. "I just can't believe…_**she**_ was able to pull off such a stunt."

Kenshin sighed, his thumb pressing harshly at the ache between his brows. After studying the numbers over, checking the dates and times and passage of each order, more information had been gleaned about the man, Kiyosato. More money had been discovered lost as well as too many coincidences to be considered accidental. Kenshin had begun to suspect the entire situation that morning but had said nothing. A part of him revolted against the idea that he had been used even more than he had imagined; that he had fallen prey to a worse situation than the simple abuse of his love and adoration. His suspicion had been proven correct, however, and he felt even worse because of his failure to take notice of it earlier.

From the very beginning he had been used by Tomoe. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that she had never loved him and had only used him to get whatever she wanted. Now he understood how small that abuse of him had been in the grand scheme of things. Tomoe's act was only a cover for the bigger operation, a distraction to keep him from noticing the true design she was after. Which was where Kiyosato Akira came in. This man was actually her legal husband. He, however, was only another player in her web of lies and deceit, because she had used him too and dumped him just as quickly.

Tomoe and Akira had been married for over ten years, which was three years prior to Kenshin's own wedding with her. It seemed rather surreal to think that they had never been a legal couple and that his son was technically a bastard child. Not that Kenji would ever know such a thing, and all of the papers stating otherwise would be burned as soon as he had their use out of them. No one else would ever know it either. Eventually he planned to talk to Kaoru, and if she agreed, he would name her Kenji's legal mother on all of his papers.

"We should have given her to the police while we had the chance." An uncharacteristic pull of contempt marred Aoshi's features and Kenshin switched his attention to him. Aoshi saw this as a personal insult as well. Not because he had had any relationship with the woman but because he was in direct charge of making sure the company was stable. Like Kenshin himself, his life was invested into this company, and having another come in and nearly bring it to its knees in such a short time was shameful. Especially since they had been unable to discover why until now.

"You're too soft, Kenshin. Even your woman was ready to beat the life out of her."

Kenshin frowned at Sano's remark and Hiko shook his head warningly at red-rimmed, brown eyes. "Do not speak of Kamiya-san in such a fashion. It is disrespectful."

"Well something should have been done and I'm telling you your Kaoru-san was more than willing to do it. Now that jackal has her money and is probably long gone."

"Then let her be gone, Sano." Weary, and more than willing to let Tomoe go as long as she never came back, Kenshin dropped his head back onto the cushion of the chair and stared up at the ceiling. He no longer wanted to discuss any of this. He wanted to go back to the hotel, curl himself around Kaoru, and sleep for the next week.

"Sure, but what if she comes back? What if she tries something else?"

"I doubt she will be foolish enough to try another stunt, Sanosuke." Hiko played with his coffee mug, his expression just as drained and sour as the rest of them. "Not now that we are fully aware of her games."

"You can't be sure of that."

Kenshin sighed. Once Sano was worked up it was hard to wind him down. His instincts urged him to make sure every issue was completely finished without one chance of it ever coming up again.

"What I can be sure of is the new attentiveness of everyone in this room!" Voice snapping, Hiko jerked his hand from his cup and smacked the table. The man's own patience was wearing thin and he had never truly like to be talked back to. Outside the room Kenshin was suddenly aware of the silence. There weren't many people there, but a few had come in to help with the issue, and their boss's temper was not to be trifled with. _Smooth, Tousan. They'll all think we're falling apart._ Glancing around the room once again, violet eyes closed. _I almost think we are._ "Not one of us will ever let this situation occur again. Unless I am mistaking your loyalty, Sanosuke."

"Of course not." Indignant, Sano scowled.

"Good. Now shut up and listen." Glancing up briefly as his own secretary peeked her head into the room, Hiko flicked his hand irritably in a dismissive gesture. The woman frowned and ducked back out. Vaguely Kenshin wondered at the two secretaries. It took some guts to put up with Hiko and Sano. "I've already called the police and informed them of some trouble. Not the entire situation, but enough insinuation for them to pick up either Akira Kiyosato or Tomoe and hold them until we can press charges. I suggest you do the same when you get back to Japan." Looking to Kenshin and Aoshi, they nodded. "There isn't much we can do until either of them is caught. If they are caught. Hopefully if they are not found the warrant out on them may be enough to deter them from trying anything else. It will also make it difficult for Kiyosato to find a job. In the United States anyway. Nothing that will pay more than minimum wage anyway and I doubt he would stoop so low."

"Neither would Tomoe." Agreeing, Kenshin yanked on the collar of his shirt again, finding the room to be oppressive. He was too tired to think of what needed to be done, or what he wished to be done. The lids of his eyes were heavy, his muscles relaxed too far for movement, and if left alone for very much longer he knew he could fall asleep in the chair. It was more than comfortable, even if he was sitting up.

"That snooty little bitch has probably already found someone else to attach herself to, anyway." Sano stood as he spoke and paced the floor in front of the desk, the heat dying from his words. _Good, he's finally calming down._ Eyes half-closed, Kenshin tracked his movements apathetically. "After being so thoroughly shut down by Kaoru last night. Man! I wish I could've been there to see it!"

Kenshin's lips twitched as Sano chuckled, his voice rising in excitement this time as he turned his attention to Hiko and asked for another recount. Hiko shook his head. "You have already been told ten times. There is nothing left to know."

"She looked like a mother tiger." Feeling dreamlike and nearly asleep, Kenshin whispered an observation he had made the night before.

Sano laughed and joined in. "Yeah, pissed and ready to defend her baby."

"She looked like her father." Hiko's words cut in, his voice uncharacteristically soft, and Kenshin's gentle smile widened. "The same look in blue eyes that I received once…" The gentle smile dropped and Kenshin's eyes opened, interested.

"What did you do to earn a look like that?" Sano's voice was playful but Hiko's features were not.

"It was nothing less than should be expected. We were in love with the same woman." Dark eyes finally found Kenshin's and he smirked ironically. "I told you we were rivals, boy."

"Yes… but you did not say what kind."

"Shit, and you lost?" Sano spoke up as if amazed there was a single person on the planet that could beat Hiko at anything. Of course, he was a man speaking from experience.

"Trying to win the love of a woman is not a sword duel, idiot."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"It is a past issue. Let us not speak of it any further."

A sense of sympathy for the tone in his father's voice made Kenshin avert his gaze. He didn't like to think that there was anything that could upset Hiko in such an emotional way. There were things and people that he cared for, naturally, and Kenshin was aware of those sentiments even if they were not so openly acknowledged, but there was something about a woman that tore just a little deeper than anything else could. Kaoru's mother must have been a beautiful woman, body and soul, to earn the love of such a man as his father and teacher. Briefly he wondered what Hiko thought of Kenshin's own relationship with her daughter. Was there envy in those thoughts? Jealousy? Were the features he had grown to adore and cherish an echo of the same features his father had once looked upon with longing?

Sighing, Kenshin rubbed a hand at his neck, massaging at an ache he uncovered. This day was too long with too much information tied into it. He felt overloaded and was desperately in need of some down time to get his mind off of it all. It didn't help thinking about Kaoru either. Not when their first intimate night together had only just happened within the last twenty-four hours and the anticipation welling inside of him was demanding a replay; just to make sure it was real and not some precious dream. This expectancy was, at the moment, a higher priority and he couldn't truly concentrate past it.

"So, I've been meaning to say, Kenshin. You look about as shitty as I feel. Couldn't sleep?" Sano's voice was openly honest about the observation, but the fake concern that ended his question made Kenshin answer warily.

"Actually, I had no problems."

"Oh." Shrugging his shoulders, Sano paced around the room. "I just figured you were too worked up to sleep, considering how much you've been yawning. I mean, you did get to go back to your hotel earlier than any of us got to leave. Hell, I didn't even get the chance to lie down."

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh nothing. I've just been admiring that wonderful bite mark on you neck for the last half hour and I think it's pretty damn unfair of you to keep rubbing it in my face."

"He's got a point, boy. Besides, it's unprofessional to be showing it off. You should properly cover yourself while at work."

Blinking, his hand reached for the ache he had just recently noticed and recognized it for what it was. And could clearly remember just when and how he had received it. He had told himself to remember that moment so he could repeat it again later, what with the way she had reacted so wonderfully to it. Quickly slipping the knot of his tie up to shut the opened collar of his shirt he chanced a look at Aoshi, almost daring him to join in. Picking at a fingernail, he wisely said nothing.

"If you are quite done I think we should return to the business at hand. As tired as we all seem to be I think it prudent to finish this soon."

"Yes, boss. I'm sure we'd all be anxious to get back to a little woman." Winking, Sano sat back down. Closing his eyes for patience, Kenshin let out a steady breath. _Well at least he's no longer angry._

x

It was still several hours later before Kenshin was able to curl himself around the blue-eyed kendo instructor. Much too long of a wait, if he wanted to understate his take on the matter. Between working out all of the details of the incident, sitting in the back of the limo as it made its way through traffic, and then entertaining an excited son, he was afraid if he did fall asleep he truly would sleep for a week. A part of him had welcomed the exhaustion, another had rebelled in childish frustration. Kaoru, though, had merely smiled warmly, led him by the hand into the bathroom, and proceeded to run a tub full of hot water. Then used those wonderfully insistent hands to relax every one of his tense muscles.

Afterwards he had found a better use for those hands.

Sighing, he leaned his head onto the back lip of the tub, his eyes closing blissfully. A light chuckle vibrated against his chest and he could feel the smile on her lips as she cuddled against him. Briefly tightening his hold on her back, he let one hand drift low to slide over her hip and rest on a thigh. Light shudders twitched under his fingers and he frowned before softly switching his grip to verify the source of the disturbance.

Pale golden irises opened, his shoulders pushing back so he could look down upon her. There was nothing but lethargic delight touching her features but the jerking of her muscles silently berated him. _Idiot. She's still new to this. You've been too demanding._ Gently his fingers worked at the sore muscle, holding her gaze when she glanced up. For a moment he could read her curiosity and then willingness to satisfy his desire a second time if it was his wish. The knowledge of that eagerness made his jaw grind, but his touch remained innocent and too soon her own eyes were closing as she sighed in pleasure.

They hadn't spoken much since he'd gotten back, only small, inconsequential questions and comments that were irrelevant. Kenji himself had talked the most and Kenshin was glad his son was not traumatized by the events of the night before. If anything he seemed happier and full of even more energy than normal. His voice was cheerful, and Kenshin could detect an overwhelming joy in his voice when he called Kaoru kaachan. The title had made him smile every time.

Not that, Kenshin realized, they truly needed many words. The soft glow of love in Kaoru's sapphire eyes was enough to soothe the anxiety of the day; of the questions that had been put aside and the worry over reactions and thoughts. None of it mattered now when faced with her calming presence and warm affection. The only thing that mattered was that he could hold her in his arms and reconfirm all the notions that had been born between them the night before. All of the confessions and reassurances they had traded were now wrapped as securely around them as were their arms around each other.

"I love you, Kenshin."

Heart fluttering like silk in a gentle summer breeze, his next breath was unsteady. "I love you, too, koishii."

There was a pause as she hummed deep in the back of her throat, her nose nuzzling his sternum. "The water's starting to get cold… and I can tell you're really tired. Shall we go to bed?"

"Hmm." Agreeing lazily, he pulled her close for a sloppy kiss before letting her escape.

Dry and warm in comfortable pajamas, he smiled crookedly as she climbed, without question or hesitance, into his bed. That was where he had left her that morning, he supposed she figured it would be the same place he would find her on the next. Which was his exact plan. Letting her adjust the sheets for comfort, he wrapped a firm arm around her waist when she was finished and pulled her securely into his chest. Finally in that position he had dreamed of the entire day he pressed his nose into her shoulder. Shifting for a few moments to find the best spot, he gratefully let every one of his muscles relax in euphoric relief.

"Goodnight, koi."

Already mostly gone, he only just heard her whispered reply.

x

The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was methodically soothing, the soft light of day warm still, yet dimmed by lazy clouds. Vaguely Kenshin realized he was dreaming, the sluggish motion of time common to the mind while gripped with such images. Smiling, he looked to his right, watching in delight as his son skipped through the sand and kicked the loose grains into the air with his toes. Blue-violet irises looked up happily, grinning as only his son could to convey his joy of the day.

To his left Kaoru walked gracefully, slender and delicate in a fluttery sun dress, her own bare feet digging into the warm sand as she carried her sandals. Beautiful eyes stared out over the ocean, taking in the scenery before looking back to him. Her own smile was gentle, affectionate as she squeezed his hand and leaned forward to peck a kiss on the side of his mouth. Words of love whispered from her lips, deepening the emotion spreading inside his chest.

Content, he led them onward.

All too soon there was a whistle in the wind, a chill breeze bringing the scent of heavier moisture from rain. A shiver ran down his spine, a notion in the back of his mind telling him of a similar scenario; explaining in panicked tones that he needed to get them both away. They were precious and required protection; he must not let them come to harm.

Searching frantically, he spotted an overhang of rock; a cave like hollow that would protect them from the rain. The darkness inside seemed to swallow up the light, however it would keep them from catching cold. It would serve to hide them from the outside world. The sight of it made his son whimper, his small hand pulling against him in fear of this ominous place. Picking him up impatiently, Kenshin tugged on Kaoru's hand and urged her forward.

Something inside him warned against his actions, a sure sense of deja-vu speaking of an ending he would not like. But what else was there for him to do? There was no other shelter near them, and there was no one in sight. Surely it would be safe until the storm passed. He would not let anything harm them. The closer to that cave he brought them, though, the higher his panic rose, wanting nothing to do with the darkness inside. How much of those shadows hid a danger he could not see? What would he be facing inside that cave that would tear his heart to shreds? Would it be something he could defeat? Frightened more than his trembling son, his fingers pinched desperately around the strong fingers of the woman beside him.

But then she tugged back, stopping him a mere feet or two from the entrance. As close as they were now Kenshin could see reflections within. A brightness like eyes were staring back, waiting for him to bring his most prized belongings to them so they could bring him to his knees. Staring, unable to look away no matter how much he wanted to, his eyes were glued to those creatures as if sure they were going to devour his soul. And there was nothing that he could do to stop them.

A warm hand alighted on his cheek, carefully encouraging his gaze away and guiding his sight back to her. There was so much strength in her eyes and her touch. Those blue irises that had been taught to protect and to shelter made him feel safe.

"It's alright, Kenshin. I brought an umbrella. See?"

Opening it with a light click, she brought it up to cover them, its diameter wider than it truly should have been. Only a few seconds later the rain started to fall.

"After all, anata. It's only a little rain."

Her smile widened and her hand twined through his arm, turning them around to walk back down the beach where they had come from. Distantly Kenshin could hear the noises of disappointment that echoed from out of the cave, but as his eyes slid back to the woman walking beside him, her confidence made his own smile break free. In his arms his son laughed happily, delighted that his mother had protected them from the storm.


	12. Mother's Love

Boo-ya! Read it and weep!

Disclaimer: All things connected to Rurouni Kenshin do not belong to me, but I'm okay with that. XD

**Chapter 12: Mother's Love**

Kenji was blissful. He couldn't remember the last time he was ever this happy. Of course, now that he had a father _and_ mother there really wasn't anything that compared, and even if they did live in separate houses he was still able to see her every day. Most times they even spent the night. Sometimes he snuggled between them, happily content with both presences slumbering on either side of him. He didn't always like to share a bed, though. The two of them liked to hog and he usually ended up squished between them, which was fine for a little while but after that he had to get out of there. Besides, Aunt Misao had told him that parents needed some alone time at night. He didn't really know why since they were just sleeping. Maybe his dad was still having bad dreams and needed a little extra attention to make them go away.

A month or so after returning from that large city across the sea his dad had started to come home earlier than was normal from work. It made Kenji glad that he was no longer spending so much time at the office and more time at home with his family. He even looked happier and healthier. Whatever had happened to change everything he was glad for it. He'd always hated his dad working so much, and even now that he had a mom to take care of him while his dad was away, he still wanted his dad to be there. After everything that had happened within the last year he had learned a very important lesson for a child. A father could not replace a mother, and neither could a mother replace a father.

The last few months had been spent in a flurry of preparation and charged excitement. With Aunt Misao and Uncle Aoshi's wedding coming up there were many things his mother was apparently expected to do to help. Which meant Kenji himself got to tag along for most of it. Between the cake, the flowers, the dress and the food, Kenji wasn't quite sure if a wedding was worth all the mess. After Kaoru's explanation of what marriage was he'd been sure it was a much easier, at least simpler, process than what it was turning out to be. When he'd expressed this concern to his mom, though, she'd laughingly told him that was why a lot of couples eloped. Whatever that meant.

Yawning, Kenji briefly tugged his hand out of Kaoru's to cover his mouth. She cast him a questioning look, then grinned affectionately. The love on her face was open, and he beamed back when the yawn was finished with him.

"Tired, little man?"

"No, Kaachan." Shaking his head in negation, he couldn't quite stifle another yawn when it slipped up the back of his throat. The light tinkling of his mother's giggle informed him that she was not convinced, and he automatically wrapped his arms around her neck when she lifted him up.

"Well, why don't you just indulge your mother and let me carry you anyway?"

"Okay, Mama." Like he really minded being carried. He loved being cuddled and kissed, the warmth of her cheek next to his as she held him in her strong arms wonderful. Though it was already April, there were still vagrant winds whipping about, bringing chill goose-bumps to his flesh.

"How did you like school today?"

"It was fun. The sensei gave me a gold star for being good, and the little plant I've been watering has a bud on it. Teacher says it will bloom into a pretty flower if I take good care of it." His mother smiled at him as he spoke and he loved that she listened to him. Father listened to him, too, and they were a great audience in the evening when he wanted to talk. And there was so much more to talk about now that he was in school. He'd made a couple friends, was learning how to write, and he even got lots of praise on his drawings.

"I'm glad you're enjoying school, Kenji. It's very important to do your best. And your teacher practically sings praises about you already. Your father and I are so proud of you."

Kenji grinned as she hugged him tighter, her lips leaving a smacking kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, little man." Squeezing his small arms around her neck, he planted his own return kiss on her jaw. "What do you say to ice cream on our way home?" Excitement filling him and chasing away the fatigue, Kenji sat straight in her arms, his blue irises sparkling. "But you can't tell Daddy, 'kay?"

Kenji giggled at the exchange. At least once a week his mom would say this to him. "_I'll get you something sweet if you don't tell your father."_ It wasn't that his dad would really mind, as he ended up finding out half the time anyway, but it was fun having a secret they could share. And besides, sometimes his dad did it too. _"…just don't tell your mother, our we'll both be in trouble."_

Briefly they paused at a stop light, waiting for the right moment to cross the street. Watching a few other pedestrians as they ambled along the sidewalk, Kenji listened as his mother hummed contentedly under her breath. It was a habit she was starting to develop, he had noticed, and more and more often he would catch her humming a soft little tune to herself. She always looked so happy when she did, and her face almost seemed to glow anymore. Instinctively it lifted his spirits, even though he didn't understand why.

"We're only going to get a small ice cream today, firecracker."

Pouting in that way he was learning she was weak to, Kenji mustered up his best pleading look. "But why, Kaachan? I promise not to tell Daddy."

Giggling, his mother shook her head. "Sorry, little man, that's not going to work today. Your father has special plans for dinner tonight and we can't spoil our appetite by bingeing on sweets when he's going through so much trouble to cook for us."

"Is today special?" Confused, Kenji wondered if it was someone's birthday and he didn't know about it.

Shrugging, Kaoru carefully looked both ways and hopped down off the curb to cross the street, her arms tight around his body. "I don't know. I'm as much in the dark as you are, Kenji. All I know is your father said he was treating us… ah, and he wants to have a talk. As a family." As his mother said the word 'family' her eyes scrunched shut and Kenji could feel her own delight in being able to speak the word. He was so glad he wasn't the only one excited about having a complete family. Now that they were whole, he felt so blessedly warm, safe, loved, and sheltered. Everything was going so right it didn't seem anything could ever go wrong again.

"Can we split a big cone?" As his mother laughed again at his persistence, a dark shape caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Curious, he turned to look at it head on, and found himself trapped by bright green irises. A tall man was walking up fast behind them, his stride purposeful, and within the budding senses he was developing during his training he felt unease. Before he could voice his fear aloud, however, the man was up behind them and he felt his mother jolt in shock.

"Unless you want me to hurt your mommy, you'd better keep quiet." The warning was hissed in his face, the man pressed really close to his mother's back, and he had to bend partially over just to be close to their level. Knowing without even understanding how that the man was dangerous and would not hesitate to back up his threat, Kenji nodded, but held on tighter. Smirking at his immediate cooperation, the man spoke next to Kaoru. "And you do as you're told or you'll never see the boy again."

A light quiver worked up Kaoru's muscles, and Kenji could feel her agitation. Her voice alerted them all to her anger. "What do you want with my son?"

"Oh, it's quite simple. You see, I'm going to take him with me and you, you're going to immediately call his father. You tell him that there will be no police involved, this is a simple business transaction that will not require any outside interference. In about four hours he'll get a phone call. At that time we will discuss the details of our small contract. Do you understand? No one else is to know or I will kill him."

Only two things registered in Kenji's mind as he listened to the vehement whispers of this strange man. Firstly, he was going to be separated from his mother, an occurrence that had not fully agreed with him ever since the incident at the New Year's party. Secondly, this man was threatening his life. Fear began to shake his small body and tears fell from the corners of his eyes as his face scrunched and he fought the sounds that might instigate violence from this stranger. As his body shook, his mother's arms tightened.

"You are not taking my son anywhere!" Kenji jerked as a voice so unlike the sweet and loving one he was used to hearing hissed from his mother's mouth. The man's arm shifted, pushing something into Kaoru's back, and Kenji whimpered as her spine bowed. Burying his face in her neck, he clutched at her hair.

"You think you can stop me?"

"No… but he's not going without me."

The man laughed, a short, amused breath of sound. "Are you offering yourself as a hostage?"

"Yes."

"Hmm… I suppose I can just kill you later, if you prove troublesome, or my sister decides you're useless."

"I promise not to be any trouble, as long as nothing happens to Kenji, but I will not let him out of my sight."

"Fine then." Roughly a hand grasped at Kaoru's arm and yanked her forward, leading them down the street. "Just keep quiet and don't do anything suspicious."

Kenji caught only glimpses of the street and pavement as he clutched tight to Kaoru's shoulders and neck. Fear was still dominate in his mind, but surety of the protection his mother offered was keeping him from panicking. Kaoru was there and nothing bad would ever happen to him as long as his father or mother was there to watch over him. His mother was keeping the promise they had both made to him; she would not leave him alone.

A block down the road and Kaoru stepped up into a vehicle and everything went dark. The fear he was battling against came back to quiver his small body, and the warm, strong hand of his mother rubbed soothingly up and down his back. Soft words of comfort whispered into his ear, promises to keep him safe, that everything would be alright. No harm would come to him, she would make sure of it, so he should not fear. "I love you so much, baby. In my family we protect what we love. We protect it with our life. So don't be afraid."

The dark continued for a long time, and though Kenji was scared, he was glad his mother was there with him. If she had given him up and let the man take him like he had originally said, Kenji would have been unable to contain his fear. With his mother there he had nothing to fear except… "Mommy?" Whispering, because he didn't know what else was in the dark, he expressed his concern in her ear.

"What is it, baby?"

"Will… will he hurt you?"

Kaoru's body trembled against him as she hugged him even tighter. "Oh baby, don't you worry. Everything's going to be fine. Daddy's going to save us and we'll be just fine." Something in her voice quivered and it affected him in a way he couldn't explain. "Whatever happens, Kenji, I don't want you to be afraid. Soon this will all be over and it will be just like a bad dream."

Trying hard not to cry, Kenji sniffed, hot tears trailing down his cheeks. "Then can I sleep with you and Daddy when we get home?"

"Of course, little man."

The van jerked, throwing them into the air briefly, and Kenji couldn't help the squeak of fright that popped from his mouth. Kaoru grunted when they landed, her arms like a vice around him, but they were allowed little time to steady their equilibrium as the van jerked again to a stop. The driver side door opened and slammed shut, and then footsteps echoed around behind them and to the other side. Abruptly the sliding door they had entered rolled to one side and light flooded the small space in the back. Blinking, Kaoru frowned as the man motioned impatiently for her to climb out. Kenji buried his face in her neck and clutched onto his mother even tighter.

They were led through an abandoned building to a room up a few flights of stairs. Here they were shoved inside and the door locked behind them before they were left alone. The man said nothing, though Kaoru kept insisting on asking questions. Each time her mouth opened, however, a glare would be directed over the tall man's shoulders and the silence would grow even more oppressive. Each time that man looked at his mother it made Kenji nervous.

After a long moment Kaoru finally set him on his feet, and Kenji curled his hand through hers before looking around. The room was dimly lit, with only a dirty looking mattress thrown in the corner and a metal folding chair pushed up against the wall. There was no other exit besides the door they had entered, and even the window that he could tell had once been there was now boarded over. Looking up, his blue-violet eyes vulnerable, he found Kaoru smiling sadly down at him. "This isn't so bad, ne? At least we have somewhere cushioned to sit." She led him over to the dirty mattress and he eyed it skeptically. "Why don't we just be patient and wait for now, ok? Once your daddy finds out he'll come get us for sure."

Kenji didn't know why, but the sight of the filthy mattress made him cry again. Before he knew it Kaoru had him wrapped in her strong arms and he was sobbing into her neck. She was seated now on that dirty mattress, with him balanced in her lap, and he didn't like it. They didn't belong there. The whole place was nothing like Kaoru's dojo. The room they were in smelled neglected and unclean. Kaoru's home always smelled fresh and nice, and when it rained the scent of moist dirt pervaded his nose. He liked that scent. This place just smelled musty and rotten. Kenji wanted to go home.

X

Kenshin glanced at the clock and smiled. He only had another hour left before Kaoru made it home with Kenji, and that was factoring in the time it took for them to sneak in something sweet on their way from the school. Usually he picked Kenji up on his way home from work in the car, but since Kaoru had mentioned going to the doctor for a checkup and he wanted to get off work early to start on dinner, she had volunteered to take over. The school wasn't that far from her home, anyway. Just a short train ride and then a fifteen minute walk from the station.

Still grinning like a fool, he went back to his preparations. Tonight he wanted everything to be perfect because tonight he had something very important to discuss with Kaoru and Kenji. Kenji would be first, because Kenji was going to play a part in what he wanted to say to Kaoru. Everything would need to be said delicately to her, because after thinking on the plan he and Kenji had come up with he had realized something. Both of them ganging up on her was not very fair. He would have to make sure she understood the situation very clearly and with no doubts about what might happen afterwards.

A part of him knew there was no need to worry, but he would not overlook the possibility. Though they had basically been living together for the past four months, Kaoru was an independent woman and quite untraditional for the daughter of a dojo master. She could very well wish for things to remain as they were. They were all happy, and though he wanted to make sure he honored her the way she deserved, she may simply wish to enjoy what they had at the moment.

Either way he had already decided. Kaoru needed to know the way he felt, and afterwards he would listen to the way she felt. Then they would decide on their future together, because he would not give her up. Whether she decided to take his name or not, she would remain a part of the family they were pulling together. Kaoru was Kenji's mother now, Kenshin was his father, and they were lovers. He wanted to claim a more permanent title in connection with her, but he would settle for lover if that was all she was willing to accept. For now.

Setting the low, intimate table in the room just off the kitchen, he placed the grilled mackerel in the middle and carefully dolled out the rest of the food in four separate bowls for each person. Rice with bamboo shoots celebrated the season, miso with tofu was served as the soup, then two side vegetables of simmered daikon and rapini blossoms with a spicy sauce to cover them, and then pickled plums as a side dish. He had debated on dessert since they all liked sweets, but since Kaoru and Kenji were no doubt indulging themselves already, he had tossed the idea. He had outdone himself on dinner, anyway, and he wondered if it would all get eaten. Though Kaoru did seem to have quite the appetite lately.

Stripping off the apron around his waist, he cleaned up the kitchen a bit and then strolled down the hall to Kaoru's bedroom. At this point it was almost _their_ bedroom since he and Kenji spent three quarters of the week at her house. The two, sometimes one night that he and Kenji actually stayed at their own house was torturous. It was hard sleeping alone now, and the following day he had to endure at work was even more so.

Changing his shirt he grinned at the pile of training clothes she had left lying haphazardly around the room. She must have been late getting to her doctor's appointment after that afternoon's training. Kaoru was so very much in love with teaching her students she sometimes lost track of time. Today must have been one of those days, and Kenshin was sorry he had missed it. Those were the best days to sneak in and watch her. Picking up her dirty clothes, he tossed them with his shirt into the hamper in the bathroom on his way back down the hall.

They would be home any moment and he could barely contain his nervousness. She loved him and he loved her and Kenji loved her and she love Kenji and still he could not help but be nervous. This was a large milestone in his life and he didn't want to mess it up. Seating himself at the table, he watched the dishes of food steam happily away. He hoped it all tasted good. It wasn't extravagant, but Kaoru did favor most of the dishes. Glancing at the clock, he frowned. They were running a little late. Too much longer and the food would get cold. Climbing back to his feet he went into the kitchen to retrieve something to cover the food.

Sliding open the outer shoji, he glanced up at the sky. It wasn't dark out yet, so he wasn't going to worry. The weather was nice. _Perhaps they decided to stroll through the park on their way from the station._ Frowning he didn't see why they would take a detour when Kaoru knew he would be waiting for them with dinner.

Deep creases were forming on his brow when he glanced at the clock again. The sun was setting now and the wind was getting chillier. They were much too late, and he had a bad feeling.

X

A sharp pop overhead jerked Kenji from sleep and he instinctively pressed himself closer to Kaoru. A low hum from the flickering florescent lights hinted at the cause of the noise, and he relaxed a bit. "Hey, little man, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Cuddling closer into Kaoru's chest he realized they were now lying down, but he tried not to think about what they were lying on. Something soft was wrapped around him, and as he sniffled he realized it smelled like Kaoru. She must have wrapped him in the jacket she had been wearing. "Mommy… I'm hungry."

"Yeah? It's past suppertime, I think. Maybe we'll get something to eat pretty soon."

"We missed Daddy's special dinner. Do you think he'll be mad."

_I'm sure he is._ Afraid of how angry he was going to be, Kaoru closed her eyes and prayed nothing bad would happen. "He'll understand, Kenji. Why don't we think of a way to make it up to him?"

"Should we make him dinner instead?"

Kaoru laughed lightly and shook her head. "I don't know about that. We might just create a disaster in the kitchen instead of a good meal to eat. What about those sweets he likes from that one shop down the street from your school?"

Kenji nodded, one of his hands wiping at his sticky face. "He likes those."

Kaoru smiled. "You know, his birthday's coming up pretty soon, isn't it? Why don't we throw a party? A surprise party. We can invite Shinomori-san and Misao and Yahiko and we might even be able to get your Uncle Sano and Grandpa to come. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"Yeah. Daddy would really like that."

"We can have food catered from the restaurant I used to work at, and karaoke, and a huge banner to hang up on the wall."

Kenji's eyes brightened just a bit and she smiled as he got caught up in the idea. "With Daddy's name in lots of colors. Like firecrackers! Can we have firecrackers too?"

"That sounds like a good idea. How about you make the banner? That way it turns out like you want it, and I'll make it my job to get some fireworks."

"Really? I can make the banner?"

"Sure, sweetheart. I think it's a great idea."

Voices from down the hallway interrupted their conversation, and Kenji remembered where he was and what their situation meant. Biting his lip, his excitement dying, he concentrated on the two voices arguing. One was the man, and he sounded irritated. The other voice was female, and she was yelling her anger.

"What the hell do you mean you brought the woman, too? I said to grab the boy! The other one will just get in the way!"

"I thought it would be easier this way since she seemed unwilling to give up the kid. Besides, he might pay more to get both back."

"You were just being greedy. We could have gotten more than enough for the boy, and he's easy to handle. Two hostages just makes things complicated, especially with that little bitch. She won't be cooperative. I've dealt with her before."

"Fine. I'll just get rid of her."

Kenji trembled as the footsteps accompanying the voices stopped outside their door, and the meaning of what they said sank in. They were going to take Kaoru away.

The female voice huffed in exasperation. "No. We can't kill her. We'll just have to go through with the plan."

The padlock rattled from outside and then clicked before the door swung open. With his face pressed into Kaoru's chest, Kenji couldn't see who entered, but he had finally recognized the woman's voice. It was his nightmare all over again.

Kaoru glared as Tomoe sauntered in, her posture and stride confident. She should have known the woman wasn't finished hurting her family. "Well, well, it's nice to see you too, little raccoon." Blue eyes narrowed at the insult, and Tomoe laughed before dropping a paper bag on the floor and kicking it towards the mattress they were lying on. "I'm afraid you weren't part of the plan, so I only bought something for the kid to eat. You'll just have to tough it out, _Mommy_."

The arms wrapped around him encouraged him to sit up, but Kenji refused to leave his place of shelter by her side. "It's alright, Kenji. Weren't you just saying you were hungry?" Seated next to him, Kaoru reached one hand forward to pick up the paper bag and drag it forward. Shaking his head against her ribs he denied her question. "Come on, baby. You need to eat something. It'll make you feel better." Inside the paper bag was a single pork bun from a convenience store. Breaking open the wrapping, Kaoru pressed the bun into his hands. "Be a big boy now."

"W-what about you?" Small and quivering, his voice muffled into her shirt.

"Don't worry. I had a big lunch. You eat as much as you want."

The growl of his stomach finally decided him as the scent of food woke up his hunger. Turning his face out into the open, he glanced once toward the other lady and confirmed her identity. She sneered at him and he whimpered, but Kaoru's strong arm tightened around him and he felt safer. Slowly he began eating the cold pork bun.

Though he was hungry he could only eat most of it, and the rest he handed to Kaoru. She denied wanting it at first, but he soon convinced her that he didn't want any more. The last of it disappeared in two quick bites. The lady stood watching with her arms crossed and a look on her face that spoke of disgust and condescension. The man leaned against the door jam like he had nothing better to do than watch as well. It made Kenji uncomfortable again.

As soon as Kaoru was finished Tomoe stalked over to yank on her arm, and Kenji's eyes went wide. There was something black in her other hand that looked dangerous and he just knew they were taking her away from him now. "Come with me." Locking his hand around Kaoru's wrist, Kenji stood with her, but the mean lady glared at him. "Not you. You stay here."

"But…"

"Where am I going?" Kaoru's hand wrapped around one of his wrists in return, and Kenji's quickened heartbeat became less. "I would rather not leave Kenji anywhere alone."

"We're going to make a phone call. One you were supposed to have made already but since you saw fit to be such a good mother we had to revaluate our plan. The kid will stay here as collateral and you will go with me for a short walk. If you try to run my brother here will kill the kid. If you try to attack me, my brother will kill the kid. If you try to tell anyone we see on the street, my brother will kill the kid. Are you getting the picture?"

Kaoru nodded angrily.

"Good. Now hurry up. I want to get this done before that idiot decides to call the police."

Kenji watched with wide eyes as Kaoru knelt in front of him and tried to reassure him that everything was going to be fine and that he should stay calm until she returned. On the verge of panic, Kenji shook his head. He didn't want his mommy leaving him. He didn't want her to go with the mean lady. What if something happened? What if she was taken away from him for good? He loved his mother. He didn't ever want to be without her again.

"No, Mommy! I want to go, too! Don't leave me here! I'll be good!"

"I know, baby, but you need to stay here. I'll be right back, I promise."

"No, no, _no!_"

"Please, Kenji. You need to be a big boy and be strong for you mother."

"You promised! You promised you wouldn't leave me alone!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart…"

Kenji screamed as the man grabbed him up, and then struggled when a large hand clamped over his mouth. "Shut up, you little brat. She won't even be gone that long."

"Stop that! You'll hurt him!"

"The brat had it coming. Now come on." Tomoe yanked on her arm, and Kaoru reluctantly followed her out. Frightened and panicked, Kenji watched her leave, and her face crumpled in pain.

"I'll be right back. I promise, Kenji." Sapphire eyes swung sharply up to the man. "If you hurt him I promise to pay you back."

The two women disappeared from sight, and Kenji doubled his efforts to go after them. Unfortunately it was becoming harder to breathe with the man's large hand covering his mouth and nose, and the lack of oxygen was making his head swim. His struggles soon became feebler. When the man dropped him on the mattress and walked out, he had no energy to protest nor any strength to fight the coming wave of darkness.

X

A curse spilled from Kenshin's mouth as his left shoe refused to cooperate with his agitated motions. It was much too late for Kaoru and Kenji to have been delayed by anything reasonable. Before he worried anyone, though, he was going to look himself. As soon as his shoe decided to go on _properly _he would be out the door and in his car. Cursing again, he forced his foot into the hateful shoe and snatched up his keys and phone and stomped out. Halfway into his car his phone rang.

Slumping into his seat in relief and shutting the door, he pressed the answer button without noting the phone number. All he knew was that it had to be Kaoru. It had taken her awhile to find a payphone to call him from, that was all. This would be the perfect excuse for him to buy her a cell phone so they could keep in contact easier.

"Hello. Kaoru?"

A soft intake of breath rushed past the speaker and the voice that answered him shook just slightly. "Kenshin."

"Kaoru, thank God, where are you?"

"Kenshin, I…" She paused for a moment, as if rethinking what she was going to say. "Kenji and I are just fine. We haven't been hurt."

It was a confusing statement to make, but Kenshin was glad they were fine. "Good, now tell me where you are and I'll come pick you up. I've been worried sick."

"Kenshin…" There was a hint of tears in her voice now and his frayed attention sharpened. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention and I couldn't leave him to…" A second voice interrupted whatever Kaoru was going to say and she stopped to listen. Kenshin couldn't quite make out the words that were spoken, and Kaoru's voice pulled away from the speaker for a second to answer. "Okay, okay."

"What's going on?" Something heavy dropped into his gut. Nothing simple had detained Kaoru and his son. This was designed.

"I'm… I'm supposed to tell you that you shouldn't contact the police. If you do you… won't ever see Kenji again and they'll… get rid of me." A more steady intake of breath pulled across the speaker, and when Kaoru spoke again her voice was calmer. "Kenshin, it's Tomoe and some man she claims is her brother. He's tall with dark hair and green eyes and he's trained in combat…" Her voice cut off and the phone crackled in his ear.

"Kaoru? Kaoru! Are you alright?"

"Tsk, tsk, what a tell all." Tomoe's smooth voice took over the phone, and Kenshin nearly growled. "That will be enough from you, little raccoon."

"Tomoe, you bitch. If you even think about hurting them…"

"Yes, yes, I'll regret it. You're so boring, _anata_." Faking a yawn, she giggled. "This time I have the advantage. Not only do I have _my_ son, I have your little wench as well. You do understand how this works, right? No police, no outside interference, just you, me and enough money to cover how much your son and your playmate are worth to you."

Kenshin ground his teeth, his free hand fisting against the steering wheel of his car. "I don't think you really understand. There isn't enough money in the world to cover their worth to me."

"Oh I knew you would say something like that. In fact, I was counting on it. That makes negotiations quite easy, doesn't it?" A figure rolled off her tongue that forced his eyes closed. Such an amount would bankrupt him. "Now that's each, you understand? Of course, that much cash would be too much of a hassle, so my brother has worked out a better way to handle this transaction. It's this age of technology. Brilliant, ne? Of course, you were already aware of that. Your company is in the process of designing the program we're going to use."

The program she was referring to instantly swam to the front of his brain and he sighed. Nobody but the company should have been aware of its existence yet, but he didn't care at the moment how they knew. "I understand. What's my time restraint?"

"Well that just depends on how long you want to be apart from your precious family. We could say tomorrow by one o'clock, or we could say never. It's really your choice."

"That's too short of notice. I'll never be able to access that much money let alone transfer it by then."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way. A rich, influential man like you can accomplish wonders when he puts his mind to it. Just remember, no cops, before or after our transaction. We'll call you tomorrow to let you know where we want to meet. Ah, and my brother informed me that all we'll need from you is a small little chip. Make sure you bring it, and don't think about trying to play us, because we will obviously check it for verification, and my brother's a genius."

The information he would need to make the money transferable was given to him, and then Tomoe was hanging up before Kenshin could ask to speak with Kaoru again. Spitting a vile curse he threw his phone into the passenger seat and shoved the key in the ignition. That bitch would not get away with hurting his family again. Not this time. This time he would make sure she got what she deserved and more.

X

When Kenji awoke for the second time he was still alone. He had no idea what time it was, and the room was cold and clammy now that he had no one to share body heat with. Pushing himself up off the mattress, his thoughts sluggish, he tugged on the jacket still lying on the bed and wrapped it around him. Kaoru's light scent was only barely hanging on, and the way it was fading only brought more tears to his eyes. Standing to his feet, he chewed his lip in contemplation before approaching the door.

One tug informed him that it was locked, and another rattled the padlock on the other side. Unsure what he was doing or why, Kenji tugged again and again. Kaoru had gone out this door and she wasn't back yet. If something was wrong, he wanted to know. Kaoru was supposed to protect him, but he wanted to protect her too. Over and over the padlock rattled until the noise began to echo down the hallway. A few minutes later he heard footsteps.

"What the hell are you doing?! Be quiet in there!" It was the man.

Tugging on the door harder, Kenji demanded his mother in a shaky voice that was not quite level. "Where's my mommy?"

"I said be quiet!"

"I want my mommy! Give her back!" Gaining confidence, his voice became steadier and louder. Putting all of his weight behind his actions, he kept pulling until the motion became sharp.

"Be quiet!" A loud bang against the other side of the door startled Kenji and he froze for a moment. Too rebellious in reaction to his fear of losing his mother, he began pulling on the door again. This time the action was more frantic.

"Give me my mommy now! I know she's out there! Give her back! Give her back! You can't keep her from me! Give her back!"

"Shut up before I come in there and make you!"

"I don't care! I want my mommy back!"

A few short seconds later the door flew open and the large man stepped into the room. Tripping backwards to stay away from him, Kenji's panic became terror and he was barely able to fight back when the man snatched him up. Both of his large hands pinched Kenji's small arms, and he cried out in pain but defiantly kicked his feet into the man's chest. The assault didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Keep struggling kid and I'll make sure you never see your mother again." Shaking him hard enough to snap his teeth together, Kenji went limp and his eyes crossed. Dazed, he watched in confusion as a hand shot out of nowhere over his head and jabbed two fingers into the man's throat. Abruptly released, Kenji grunted as he was caught midair.

"I got you."

Relief flooded his body as Kaoru's voice penetrated the fog surrounding his consciousness and he relaxed into her hold. Not a moment later and his stomach lurched as she jerked him away from the man's return attack. "You little bitch!" His voice was scratchy, but Kenji felt the hit he landed on Kaoru's cheek. It knocked them to one side, and he landed on top of Kaoru as she shielded him from the floor. Before he could react she was rolling him underneath her and shielding him from the man.

A loud grunt in his ear spoke of a kick to Kaoru's legs, and Kenji's eyes pulled wide as he stared up at her. Her eyes were clenched shut, and there was blood oozing from her mouth. Huffing through her nose, she struggled to put distance between them and the man, her hands tugging on Kenji to keep him underneath her. Curling her body around him in the corner, she was still blocking him from getting hurt in their now seated position, and Kenji began to cry as he realized it was all his fault. Kaoru had told him to be a good boy and wait for her to come back. He hadn't listened and now she was being hurt because of him.

"Stop it! Please! Stop it!" Crying, Kenji whimpered as the man grabbed a fist full of her hair and landed another blow to the side of Kaoru's head. Kaoru, however, did nothing more than glare over her shoulder until the man released her hair to try another tactic. Frightened for her, Kenji gasped as a he caught sight of a well aimed kick headed straight for Kaoru's side. He didn't want to see her get hurt anymore, but she wasn't even trying to defend herself because she was defending him instead.

A sharp whap resounded in Kenji's ears and he stared at Kaoru's outstretched hand and the fingers she had wrapped around the man's ankle. She had blocked the kick, and one glance up at her said she was not backing down. The man seemed shocked and merely stared at her with his leg still outstretched. Movement from behind the man alerted Kenji to the presence of the mean lady, and he stared as she too seemed to be affected by the sudden act of rebellion.

Black eyes were staring at Kaoru in a different way than before. There was more interest in them now, and Kenji didn't understand why the lady kept looking between the man's foot and where the kick should have landed. Finally her black eyes locked with Kaoru's glare and she smiled.

"Well, well, aren't we just the picture of motherly devotion." Looking very much as if she were too pleased with the way things were working out, the lady placed a hand on her brother's arm. "That'll be enough, Enishi. We don't want to ruin our bargaining chips, now do we?"

Reluctantly Enishi jerked his leg out of Kaoru's hold and stepped back. "Sure. Fine, sis." Mumbling, he walked out the door and waited for Tomoe to join him. Winking at Kaoru, Tomoe followed, and the door was once again locked with the two of them inside.

A shaky sigh left Kaoru's mouth and she smiled down at Kenji when he looked up. "Are you okay, baby? Did he hurt you?" Carefully her hands smoothed over his face, the back of his head, and down his arms to check for injuries. He winced when she touched his shoulders, but shook his head and wrapped his arms around her neck when she questioned him again.

"I'm fine, Mommy. You got hurt." Despondent and shaken by the occurrence, Kenji fought more tears. "It's all my fault."

"Oh baby, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault. And I'm okay. Don't you worry about your mother, she's a tough lady." Petting the back of his head, she bit back a grimace of pain as she picked him up and moved back to the mattress. "I'm here to protect you, remember?" Settling into the middle of the mattress, she eased them into a prone position and wrapped her jacket around him a little tighter. There was no blanket, and she wanted him to stay as warm as he could.

Nodding against her chest, Kenji curled himself closer. "Where did that lady take you?"

"I called your father and he knows what's happening now. He's going to do everything he can to get us back." Testing her weight on the pressure points on her sides, she winced and absently wiped the blood from her chin. "You just wait, Kenji-chan, by tomorrow night you'll be back in your own bed and we can forget all of this ever happened."

"No, Mommy, you said I could sleep with you and Daddy."

Smiling, Kaoru kissed the crown of his head. "That's right baby, I did say that. Then tomorrow we'll all sleep together and have pleasant dreams. What do you want to dream about, sweetheart?" Encouraging him to think of something else besides the horrible scene that had just taken place, Kaoru listened and nodded as he relayed happier times. She believed that Kenshin would save them, but she worried about the cost. The amount of money Tomoe had asked of him was outrageous, but that in itself was not what worried her. It was the means he would have to take to get a hold of such funds, and the consequences of afterwards. On top of that, Kaoru more than suspected that Tomoe was now aware of something Kaoru wished she had never found out.

X

Sitting in the darkness of his office, Kenshin balanced the weight of his phone against his ear with one shoulder and rapidly tapped his fingers on the keyboard on his desk. Every few seconds he would check the screen of a laptop setting off to his left, and compare what was there to what he was bringing up and transferring from the desktop in front of him. The situation was getting complex and he knew that even though he was the owner of the company, he didn't have the expertise to pull off what needed to be done. Complete knowledge was not why he was the owner, though. Tomoe had been right about one thing and one thing only. A man like him could accomplish almost anything if he exerted enough effort, and that would be her downfall.

The phone against his ear finally clicked and the voice he was waiting to hear spoke. "Hey man, what's up? It's a little late over there to be giving me a call. Don't you have a woman to keep you busy now?" Sano's voice was teasing, and even though Kenshin knew he shouldn't hold it against him, he couldn't quite bite back the steel in his words.

"A woman I no longer have possession of at the moment. Nor do I have my son."

"What?" Caught off guard, Sano's voice shot into surprise.

"It's seems you were right about Tomoe. You can rub it in as much as you like later, but right now I need your help to get them back."

"Whoa, slow up. What's going on?"

In as few words as possible Kenshin brought Sano up to speed on the situation. The silence on the other end of the phone became tenser the longer Kenshin spoke and when he was finally finished Sano was no longer in a good mood. "Does she really think she's going to get away with it?"

"Apparently. She seems to think her brother is some kind of genius. That's why I called you. Neither Aoshi nor myself are as good as you with programming and code. Plus I thought you might like to know about her theft of one of our programs, since you were the one who designed it. I have a pretty good idea how she got a hold of it too."

Sano grumbled and Kenshin could hear some high-speed typing going on at Sano's end of the line. "Akira, right? He must have showed it to her before she dumped him here in America. The police finally caught him by the way."

"I was told."

"Do you want me to run a background on this brother of hers? It wouldn't take me long."

"No. I'm going to have you busy with something else. I've called in a favor to cover that end."

There was a short pause and Sano chuckled humorlessly. "Damn, you didn't. What'd he say?"

"He was surprisingly… helpful. I'll fill you in on all of that after the fact. Right now we need to get to work. I'm meeting with them at one o'clock tomorrow."

"Shit! That quick? Why the hell didn't you say so? Doesn't that crazy bitch know how much time this shit takes?"

"I have a feeling she does and just doesn't care. She likes it when she thinks she's the one in control. I plan to shut her up for good on that issue this time."

"I'll second that. Here's hoping the little missy gives her hell until then." Kenshin's answer was noncommittal before he dove into the plan. There was no doubt in his mind that Kaoru would be able to protect herself, but with Kenji there as a liability she would not put him in danger with her actions. To protect him she would not hesitate to get hurt herself. Kenshin was relieved to know she would keep his son safe but the knowledge also frightened him. Briefly he remembered the description she had given him. Tomoe's brother was a tall man with dark hair… and green eyes. _Please… please do not let that nightmare come true._

X

Gentle fingers combed back Kenji's red hair, vying for his attention, but Kenji found he could not remove his eyes from the lady seated in the metal chair. Only a few moments ago she had given them their breakfast, but instead of leaving them alone, she once again stayed to watch them eat. He didn't understand why she liked watching them, but he didn't like it. There was a smug look on her face still. The same look she had worn when she had exited the night before. Once again she was looking at Kaoru with those deep black eyes, and whatever thoughts she was weaving together in her evil mind made Kenji want to scream at her to go away.

"Kenji, eat your food. And you should really thank Tomoe-san for buying it for you." Kenji glanced up at his mother like she was crazy. She was smiling just as sweetly for him today as she would on any other day, but the reality of their situation was more than visible. There was a puffiness about the right side of her face, and in the florescent lighting he could see that the area was just turning colors. It reminded him in sharp detail of the beating she had taken for him, and he wondered about the other places on her body that had been hit.

"Come on, Kenji, it's easy, see?" Sapphire eyes lifted to stare straight back at the woman seated in the room with them and a small challenging smirk pulled at Kaoru's lips. "Thank you very much for the meal, Tomoe-san." Tilting her head forward into a slight bow, Kaoru broke eye-contact with Tomoe's now pursed expression and looked back at him. "You should never forget your manners, Kenji. Even if someone is rude or mean to you, you should always be polite."

"But…" Kenji looked down at the half-eaten rice ball in his hands. It was full of salted salmon and tasted good, though not as good as his dad's rice balls. Blue-violet eyes shot over to the rice ball in Kaoru's hand. Hers was almost gone, but it had been a plain rice ball with nothing inside. After having so little to eat the night before and then only a rice ball for breakfast he knew she must be still hungry. Even still she was thanking this woman who didn't really deserve it. Trying to seek out a reason, he decided that at least the woman had bought Kaoru something to eat at all this time.

Sitting up straighter, he steeled his nerves and looked at the lady as well. "Thank you very much for the meal." Mimicking Kaoru, he bowed his head but went on to add. "And thank you for feeding Mommy this time, too."

Sniffing disdainfully, Tomoe knew what the little raccoon was doing. It was open rebellion and she needed to be punished. Smile turning sly, she tilted her head and watched the girl's expression become wary. She had very good instincts, but Tomoe liked to believe that most women did. It was why men were so easy to control. _Punishing you physically won't do any good. Why don't I do some real damage to your weak points?_ Pleased with the fun she had discovered, Tomoe uncrossed and crossed her legs.

"You really _love _your mommy, don't you Kenji-chan?" Kenji peeked at her hesitantly, but answered with a nod. Tomoe smiled, but it was not a comforting smile. "And do you think she loves you too?"

Trembling, Kenji found his voice this time and frowned at her as he replied. "Yes she does. My mommy loves me a whole lot." Again Kaoru's fingers brushed over his hair, but when he looked up she was scowling at the mean lady. A second later she noticed his attention and gave him a soft smile.

"Oh she does, does she? Are you really sure? I mean, completely sure she does?"

Young eyes darted between the two adults in confusion, and his frown disappeared into uncertainty.

"After all, Kenji-chan, you know she's not _really _your mother, right?"

His frown came back. "Yes she is."

Tomoe laughed softly, her eyes never leaving Kaoru. "That's just a lie she made you believe, Kenji-chan. She just used you to get close to your dad."

The hand on his head slid down to cover his ear, though it did little to block either of their voices. "Don't listen to her, sweetheart. She's only trying to upset you."

"Am I? I think you're just afraid he'll finally know the truth. You don't love him. How could you? He's just a nuisance right? A poor orphaned little boy that's only in the way now that you have what you really wanted."

Kaoru's glare was now fierce, and Kenji's frown became deeper as his uncertainty grew. "How dare you."

"No, how dare you make this little boy believe you're his mother when you'll only just kick him to the side." Tomoe stood, and though her words were appropriately indignant, her lips smirked. "Just you wait, Kenji-chan. Once they have a baby of their own you'll no longer be wanted. Just an unwanted child from a life before their relationship. After all, she wasn't there when you were born, was she? That's the only day the bond between a mother and child can be created. She's just pretending to be your mother for now because she feels sorry for you."

"Stop it! Don't you dare play your sick games on him! He's just a child!"

"Is that true?" Kaoru froze next to him at his softly spoken question and the vehement expression on her face turned to horror. He didn't understand her reactions, but the other lady's words were starting to contradict everything he thought he knew. This new knowledge she was giving him made him second guess everything without even wanting to. Tomoe's little smirk turned into mock sympathy.

"I'm afraid so, little one. After all, your real mother didn't even want you. What makes you think anyone else ever could?"

A pained whimper escaped his throat, and he wasn't even aware of Kaoru's arms around him as he stared into Tomoe's black eyes. They were like an abyss, and she was pulling him down to a place he never wanted to go back to. A place that felt familiar. A place before Kaoru.

"Such a tragic child. I bet your real mother didn't even hold you on the day you were born. I bet the very sight of you sickened her so much that she ran away. You're the reason your daddy was all alone, and now you're just a constant reminder of why your real mommy left him."

"Shut up you evil old hag!" Kaoru was on her feet, and Kenji could do little but stare as she started screaming at Tomoe to leave. "Don't you have any shame?! Get out of here! Get out of here right now and leave him alone!"

"Will you try to deny it now that he knows the truth?" Laughing, Tomoe waltzed over to the door. "Just admit it, little raccoon. I'm much better at this game than you are."

The door clanged shut and the lock was put back in place. The buzz from the overhead light was loud in the aftermath and Kenji trembled as her words seemed to haunt him through that droning noise. Kenji had thought he understood, but now he wondered if he understood anything at all. The year before he had done his research on what a mother was, and out of all that research not once had he ever heard of his mother having to be with him on the day he was born. Kaoru had come into his life four years after… which meant, according to the lady, that she wasn't really his mother.

And if that was true, then perhaps everything else she had said was true as well.

_Mommy doesn't really love me? She only used me to get closer to Daddy? Will they both forget me if they have another kid? Am I really unwanted? Was I the reason Daddy was all alone? Was I the reason Daddy was always sad and angry? Daddy never liked my birthday. Daddy never really liked me. Nobody wanted me when I was born. My real mommy ran away because she didn't want me and now that Daddy has someone new he won't want me either._

Hot tears were rolling down his cheeks and his sightless eyes didn't see Kaoru kneel back down next to him. "Baby." He blinked and his watery eyes focused, but the sight of her only made him tremble. With all of his heart he had wanted Kaoru to be his mother, and for awhile it seemed that dream had come true. Now that he knew the truth, though, his sweet dream had turned into a nightmare. Kaoru couldn't be his mommy, because Kaoru wasn't there the day he was born. Kaoru couldn't love him, because even his real mother didn't. She was only humoring him until the day she had a baby of her own, and then he…

Dark lashes blinked and two tears slid from the corners of her eyes, and the look of heartbreak on her face made his chest feel tight. "Do…" She paused a moment to catch her breath, and lifted a hand to wipe off her face. "Do you remember the day we met, Kenji?" Swallowing hard, he nodded but dropped his chin. It was too hard to look at her now that he knew she wasn't really his mother and never could be. "You were sitting on a bench in the park. You looked like… the saddest little boy I had ever seen." Kenji _was_ sad that day. He remembered because he was wondering why he didn't have a mother. He had wondered if it was because there was something wrong with him and his mother didn't want him. Kenji remembered being so jealous of the other children who had mothers. He had wanted a mother too… and then Kaoru had appeared. "I didn't know you then, but I wanted so much to hold you. I wanted to make you laugh. I wanted you to smile. I wanted you to be happy and playful. I wanted to make sure you were never sad or worried. I wanted to comfort you. I wanted so many things, Kenji… and I didn't even know you."

Carefully her fingers brushed at his tears. "We played all afternoon that day, and when we had to say goodbye, you gave me a kiss, right here." Briefly her finger touched his cheek. "I knew then, Kenji, with more certainty than I have ever known anything else in my life. I may not have known who you were, but my heart did." Slowly his blue-violet eyes lifted to meet hers and she smiled through her tears. "My heart recognized you and told me that you were someone special to me. All of these things that I wanted for you, all that I felt was because my heart knew who you were even before I did. I already cared for you. I already loved you. You see… that special bond that is only present between a mother and a child was already there. It was telling me just who you were to me."

Small tremors were working their way through Kenji's body. He really wanted to believe what Kaoru was trying to say, but there were still so many doubts that spoke against her. He didn't want to listen to them, but they were there and they made his heart restless and uneasy.

"I wish, I truly wish that I had been there the day you were born. I bet you were the most beautiful little boy. I wish I got to hold you. I wish I got to hear your first cry, to see your first smile, and I wish I got to hold your hand while you took your first step. Most of all, Kenji, I wish I had been there so you would never think, never doubt the love your mother has for you. If I had been there, Kenji, I would have never given you up. Not for anything."

A sob escaped his mouth, and he stood there without reaching for her as his tears became harsher. "But my mommy did give me up. She didn't want me and she left and Daddy was lonely and it was my fault and now you can't be my mommy and you'll have a baby with Daddy and you'll be its mommy and I thought I wanted a little brother but you'll love him more than me and Daddy will forget about me and then I won't have a mother or father and I'll be all alone and… and…" His words were becoming unintelligible the harder he cried, but he continued until he ran out of things to say. Why couldn't Kaoru have been his mother? Why was he so unwanted?

"Oh baby." Soft arms encircled him and he was pulled against her chest. It was the same way she always comforted him, but this time it hurt because she wasn't really his mother. He no longer even had the hope that some day she would be, because a mother was someone that was already there from day one. Now that he knew that, he knew he could never have a mother. "It wasn't your fault that your mother left. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why did she go? Why didn't she want me?"

"I can't give you an answer, Kenji, because I really don't understand myself." Kissing the crown of his head, she sniffed and hugged him tighter. "I will never be able to understand how or why she could give up a wonderful little boy like you. I do know this, though. Just because she gave birth to you, just because she was there the day you were born, it doesn't mean she is your mother. She gave up her right to be your mother when she left you there. She's the one at fault, Kenji, not you. She failed you as a mother and you have no obligation to think of her as your mother."

Pushing away from her Kenji stared up into her eyes desperately. "She's not my mother? Then… my mother didn't have to be with my when I was born to be my mother?"

"No, Kenji. That was a lie. A mother is the woman who loves you more than anything else in the world. A mother will do whatever it takes to protect you, to make you happy, to see that you are taken care of, to encourage you to be good. No one can tell you who your mother is. No one can tell you that you're wrong about who your mother is. You're the only person who knows who she is, Kenji, because your heart is what tells you. Your heart knows who she is." Adjusting her jacket around his little shoulders, she smiled. "Who does your heart tell you is your mommy?"

Relieved to the point of exhaustion, Kenji lifted his arms above his head and started crying again. "You are, Mommy."

"Yatta." Pulling him into her lap, she leaned her head against his and silently cried with him. "Don't ever doubt that again, okay? You're my little firecracker. Because of you my life is so colorful and bright now, and I'm not lonely anymore. I love you in a way I will never love anyone else."

"Not even Daddy?" Awed, Kenji muffled the question into her shirt.

Shaking her head, she laughed softly. "Not even Daddy." Squeezing him briefly, she sat back against the wall and adjusted his weight so that she could see his face. "Kenji… I want you to understand that no matter how many other people there are in my life, I will only love you for being you."

"What do you mean?"

Lifting the loose sleeve of her jacket, she wiped off his face as she continued. "You can never be replaced in my life, because there is no one else in the whole world like you. It's the same with your father too. I love him like I will never love anyone else because he is who he is and there is no one else like him. No one will ever be able to replace him, and no one will ever be able to replace you."

"Not… not even a baby?"

"Of course not, silly." Pinching his nose, she laughed as he pouted. "If your father and I do have a baby that baby could never replace you and I won't love you any less just because I will have two children instead of one. A mother's arms are big enough to hold everyone in her family, no matter how many children there are." Kenji relaxed against her, his worries finally fully subsiding. "And you know a father is no different, right? Your father will always love you more than anything or anyone else. Even more than me."

Nodding, he closed his eyes and sniffled. He was tired now. "I understand, Mommy."

"Good." Sighing, she leaned back against the wall and played with his hair. A second later a smile came to her face. "Now what was this about you wanting a little brother?" Amused with the thought and glad that woman's words had not done as much damage as she had feared, Kaoru adjusted her position again to rest her head on top of his.

"Yahiko-nii said he really liked having me for a little brother, so I thought I might want one too."

"Is that right?" Amused, Kaoru briefly told herself to watch Yahiko a little closer the next time they had training. She knew he had been looking out for the boy, but she didn't realize he thought of Kenji as his little brother. "You do realize that it's a lot of responsibility. Being a big brother is more than just fun. It'll be your job to take care of your younger brother and keep him out of trouble. Do you think you can do that?"

"Mm-hmm. I'll be a good big brother."

"Will you still be a good brother if you have a little sister, though? There is a possibility that you might not get a brother."

"Well… I suppose, but I'd rather have a brother that I can play with."

Kaoru's laughter was cut off as the door abruptly swung open. Enishi stood in the doorway this time, and Kaoru was almost thankful it wasn't that damn woman. There was something about his green eyes, though, that made her uncomfortable. "Get up. It's time to go."

X

A/N: So this was crazy. Sorry it took me THREE YEARS! just to post another chapter, and its not even the last one. Alas… what tragedy. The next chapter should be the last one, and then I can stop worrying about this poor incomplete story. I really do like this story, I think I just got more interested in other things. Like Demon and Cursed. Sigh…

Anyway, as promised, I am finishing this story so that life can go on. XD As you have read there is one last disaster involving Tomoe before the end, and damn did I make her a bitch or what? lol Maybe I've just got more experience writing evil characters now or something, but I think I made her a bit more malicious in this chapter.

As promised Kenji was the main character of the chapter, and it was a little hard to write from his POV, but I think it came out alright. The ending wasn't exactly as I imagined it, but I think that's just because I stepped into something I really hadn't planned on, and I didn't want it influencing the rest of the story. So, Kenji was more upset over what Tomoe said about his mother having to be with him at birth to be his mother than any of the rest of it. To recap a little, since he's never had a mother before Kaoru he doesn't understand that even if Kaoru wasn't his birth mother she can still be his mother if he wants her to be. Even after coming up with an entire list of everything Kaoru would have to do just to qualify as his mother, it never entered his mind that he already had a mother at one point in his life, she just wasn't that great. He thinks that there can be only one mother per person, and if he already had one then Kaoru can't be his mother now. I hope that made sense.

So, next chapter should be out hopefully sometime next month, but I hate making promises I don't know if I can keep. I will try as hard as I can, but school and work do demand a lot of attention. I only got away with this because I took a vacation off of work but not school. So, hope you enjoyed, and please review. By the way… I've missed you guys. *author sobs in abject misery* I wish I could just stay home and write on my stories every day!


	13. Father's Devotion

To reassure… I did not rush this just to finish it. This was how I wanted it to always end up. Three years just gave me more time to think it over and perfect their actions… though not the grammar. Sorry. XP Oh and because there was some confusion Kenshin was merely remembering the bad dream he had back in chapter 9 and that's why he was worried when Kaoru described Enishi. Because he resembled the characteristics of the man who killed her in his nightmare. He's just being paranoid and worried.

Disclaimer: They were never mine, but I'm glad you liked it anyway.

**Chapter 13: Father's Devotion**

The van jerked and rocked as they drove towards their destination and the constant motion was making Kenji feel sick. Feeling miserable and drained he leaned into Kaoru's side and stared at the floor. The mean lady was seated across from them, but so far she had said little that he could understand. It didn't matter, though, because Kenji knew now that he couldn't trust anything that she said. Kaoru had helped him to see the truth, and with that truth came insight. The mean lady didn't care about him. In fact, she seemed to give his presence little to no regard. Whatever she said was a lie, but Kenji was beginning to see that her intention was to hurt Kaoru, not him.

Glancing up briefly Kenji frowned at the deep creases around his mother's eyes. Whatever they were saying to each other was not making Kaoru happy. It made him wish he understood what they were saying so he could defend her, but they were speaking in English. Probably so he wouldn't understand. Clenching his little jaw he narrowed his eyes and glared across the van at the other woman. It was strange, but now that he knew that she was a liar he wasn't scared of her anymore. Even when she briefly returned his look and smirked at him he felt no fear.

Tomoe laughed. "He's a gullible little thing isn't he? He believed you so easily after I left this morning." Sighing dramatically, Tomoe shook her head. "I see he took after his father in more than just looks then."

Kaoru's reply was deadpan. "Thankfully."

One dark eyebrow lifted over an equally dark eye. "_Unfortunately _for the boy. He's going to spend the rest of his life being easily used by others. Poor brat. I should have put him out of his misery when I had the chance."

Something sickly turned over in Kaoru's gut at the mere thought of killing a helpless and dependent life, and she had to consciously keep her hand from protectively covering her own stomach. Instead she put that entire instinct into tightening her embrace around the boy beside her. "How can you say that so easily?"

An indifferent shrug lifted Tomoe's shoulders and she waved the gun she held in her right hand in a nonchalant gesture. "How can you be so sensitive about it? Don't you find it exhausting to care so much about someone else and their problems? Just pretending to care about a man is a pain. A child… they're just so needy." A shiver of disgust raced up her body and curled her lip. It was the ugliest expression Kaoru had seen on her face since meeting her. "I don't have enough time to worry about someone who can't carry their own weight."

"If you feel that way then why _did_ you decide to have a baby? As a woman you would have known before anyone else."

"Yes, you're right, and I did contemplate my options. I guess you can just call it a whim. I really didn't know whose child he was anyway." A little laugh tickled Tomoe's throat as the look on Kaoru's face changed from horror to disgust to anger. "What a little prude you are. I did have two husbands at the time… and that absolutely gorgeous electrician on the side… what was his name again?" A thoughtful look briefly side-tracked her, and then she shrugged again. "Oh well, he had to be kicked out of the picture once I decided to have the baby. It was good leverage, you see. Akira, my other husband, was robbing Kenshin blind, so I needed a way to keep him under my thumb and a child has a way of doing that to certain kinds of men. Both Akira and Kenshin are that kind. If everything had worked out the way I had wanted I would have taken all the money while Akira was occupied and then dumped him with the baby. While Kenshin fought with Akira over the child, and possibly pinned him with the theft, I would have gotten away clean. Of course the brat was born with all that red hair and there was no possible way I could convince Akira that the child was his so I had to resort to other methods."

Kaoru's head was shaking and the painful crease of her brows said she couldn't possibly understand. "What is wrong with you?"

"Don't act like you're any better." Dark eyes slid down to Kaoru's stomach pointedly and then back up again. "Your motives may be slightly different from mine, but in the end it's all the same. You want something, and so you do what you must to get it." Kaoru's mouth opened to protest and Tomoe waved the gun to cut her off. "Admit it, little raccoon. I bet you didn't even try to protest the less than careful business being conducted in his bed. Or did you outright lie and tell him you had that end covered?"

Red flushed Kaoru's entire face as her anger threatened to snap, and she shook as she tried to restrain herself. If she reacted the way she wanted it would scare Kenji, and quite possibly invoke violence from their captors. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I certainly don't like being compared to you. The mere thought makes me sick."

Tomoe seemed amused that she was denying her claim, but said nothing to the contrary. Instead she sighed at the insult. "But I'm every woman's dream. I'm beautiful, intelligent, independent, and I always get what I want. I turn everything into an advantage. Even this little miscalculation I made over five years ago is paying off now. I'm finally getting the money I wanted for the thing that popped out of me."

"He is not a _thing. _He's a person with a name, and feelings, and dreams of his own. He's not just a tool, he's a child!"

"Yes, yes, and he's yours now, so why should I care?"

"You never cared to begin with."

"Right you are again." Another little laugh escaped her and Kaoru wanted to punch her so badly.

Two sharp knocks echoed against the metal wall separating the driver from the back, and Kenji jumped next to her. "We're almost there, sis."

"Good. It's stuffy back here."

"Remember, stay inside until I check the place out. I don't trust he's as easily manipulated as you say."

"Knock yourself out, little brother. I guarantee you won't find anything." Silence was all the answer she received, but she was smiling as if pleased.

A jerk of Kaoru's head indicated the front and Enishi. "Are you using him, too?"

"In a manner of speaking, but it's alright because he's using me. That's how our family works."

"That's sick. I suppose you'll just toss him to the side once your done."

"Don't be silly. He _is _my brother. We'll part ways on equal terms, with a smile. He's not the same as the rest of the men I deal with. He carries his own weight and expects nothing from me but that I carry mine."

Kenji watched as Kaoru shook her head again but did not respond to whatever the other lady had said. Silence once again reigned within the vehicle and he guessed they were finished with their conversation. _Good._ He didn't want that lady upsetting his mother anymore than she already had. Wrapping his arms around Kaoru's stomach, he stared up at her until she looked down and smiled. There was no anger or distress in her eyes, only sorrow, and it made him worry.

"It's almost over, little man. Just be patient for a little longer."

"I'm fine, Kaachan." Fisting his fingers into her shirt, his frown deepened. "Are you alright?"

Surprised by the inquiry, Kaoru's smile turned loving. "Of course I am, baby. How can I not be when I have the love of such a wonderful little boy?"

A snort came from Tomoe's seated figure, and Kenji turned his glare on her just in time to watch her eyes roll. "What nonsense."

"You shut up, evil old hag." Feeling particularly bold and proud of the insult he remembered hearing Kaoru speak, Kenji furrowed his brow and held her darkening gaze challengingly. A second later and his face was covered by Kaoru's hand and he could feel her laughter though her words spoke of chastisement. "Hush now, young man. You shouldn't be rude, and you should never repeat rude phrases, no matter who you hear them from."

The hand shielding his face blocked his view of the other side of the van, and so he looked up at Kaoru again. Contrite that he had done something she disapproved of, Kenji pouted a little. "Okay, Mommy." Twisting his lips he thought about it for a moment and then asked her softly. "Do I have to like her, though?"

"No, but you should always be polite." Amused, Kaoru's smile was back and he smiled in return. "I know it's hard when you don't like someone, but you should try, Kenji. It'll get easier after awhile."

"Okay."

The van came to a slow stop a few minutes later and Kenji tightened his grip on Kaoru's shirt. The front door of the van opened and closed and then the soft fall of footsteps echoed for a few steps away from them and then disappeared into the distance. Wherever the man had gone it was too far away for Kenji to tell anymore. The woman across from them yawned after awhile, apparently bored, and Kaoru shifted her weight. There was discomfort on her features and he wondered if the bruises on her face were hurting her. His shoulders were sore and he hadn't been hurt as bad as she so he knew she had to be in pain.

What felt like an eternity later the side door to the back of the van slid aside and flooded it with light. "It's all clear." The large man's deep voice was clipped, as if he were much too disciplined, and then he was holding out his hand to help his sister out. When Kaoru stood he was less generous helping her. Grabbing her by the upper arm she was yanked out of the van and Kenji was left to hurry after. Jumping from the van he kicked the large man in the shins and glared up at him when he turned his narrowed green eyes down towards him.

"Don't you hurt her again." Feeling fierce and protective Kenji stepped between Kaoru and the man who still had her by the arm. After a few tense seconds the man just laughed but released Kaoru, and Kenji glared after him as he walked away. Kaoru was not so amused.

Swinging him up into her arms Kaoru shot a look at the gun Tomoe was pointing at them and began following the man at her gesture. "Although I appreciate your help, Kenji, I want you to let me handle this, okay?" Kenji blinked at her and then frowned. "Do not provoke either of them. They could seriously hurt you, and I would rather die then see that happen."

"But you said our family protects what's important, and you're important, Mommy, so I'm going to protect you."

"I did say that, baby, and there may be a time when it will be your turn to protect what's important, but right now it's my time."

Kenji stayed quiet to think over her words as they were led into a large empty room. There was a big door on the far side that was cracked only far enough to allow a single person entrance and the light from outside cast shadows along large barrels and other debris scattered along the walls. A small office-looking room was situated near the large door with crates and boxes stacked around it and blocking its small, regular sized door. Turning his head Kenji swept his eyes over the empty section between them and the large door to where Enishi was busy sitting up his computer. There were several wires already tangled together on the desk he sat his laptop on, and once he plugged in the portable computer the screen flickered. Behind them was the door they had entered through that led back to the van.

"Sit here and be quiet." Kaoru was abruptly shoved toward a stack of crates, and Kenji tightened his grip on her shoulders to keep his perch in her arms. She caught her weight easily before sitting them both down one top of one of the crates. It moved underneath her, threatening to collapse, but steadied after a moment as it became used to her weight. Kaoru's face twisted once again in discomfort, but Kenji didn't say anything. He wanted this to be over with so they could go back home to the dojo and be with his father.

Time went by slowly as Kenji had nothing to do but watch the others around him. Kaoru quietly sat with him in her arms and said nothing. A look showed that her eyes were closed, but she was not asleep because every time the other woman would come near to them her eyes would open to follow her progress suspiciously. Tomoe was pacing slowly from where her brother was to where they were, and then out into the empty space in a wide semi-circle. She alternated her attention between playing with the gun when she came near to them, and checking her fingernails. Enishi was the most interesting to watch. He was playing with his laptop and every once in awhile Kenji could catch glimpses of what was on the screen. Sometimes it just looked like line after line of numbers and formulas that he didn't understand. Other times, though, there were several frames of video feed that showed different areas of the room they were in as well as other places he didn't recognize. Some showed people going about their business on a street, and in one of them he thought he even saw Kaoru and him sitting on the crate with Tomoe nearby.

Awhile later the woman disappeared and came back with something for them to eat again. This time she actually brought them some water to drink, which Kaoru seemed to be grateful for because she sucked hers down eagerly. The meal was again a cheap packaged pork bun from a convenience store, but Kenji thanked the lady none-the-less and was proud when Kaoru smiled at him lovingly.

As they finished up their small meal Kenji noticed that the lady and man appeared to be getting increasingly agitated as time went by. Tomoe kept looking at her watch and tapping the gun against her thigh while Enishi stopped looking at the number screens altogether and focused on one particular video shot that showed the street and the few people passing by. It was as Kenji was staring at the laptop screen that he recognized his father. Straining his neck excitedly he tapped his hand against his mother's shoulder to get her attention. "It's Daddy! I saw Daddy!" His whispered announcement was drowned out by the man's loud declaration that Himura was on the way.

The loud hurried clicks of the woman's heels brought Tomoe over to them where she signaled for Kaoru to stand. Enishi pulled a gun out of the back of his pants and stepped away from the desk and to where Tomoe had forced them to go. Kaoru kept Kenji in her arms, but she switched him to her other side and he didn't understand why she pressed the injured side of her face into his hair as if she were hiding it. A few tense minutes later Kenji watched his dad walk through the crack in the large door across the room. In reaction Tomoe pressed the barrel of her gun into Kaoru's temple. For some strange reason Kaoru only sighed.

Once Kenshin was far enough into the room Enishi ordered him to stop, and obediently Kenshin did. Dark golden eyes were staring menacingly across at them, and when those amber depths looked Kaoru and Kenji over Kenji couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. He had never seen his father look so angry, and the anger on his features was only deepening as the moments passed by. Trembling in his mother's arms he felt tears push against his eyes and his chin ducked into his chest. In reaction to his movement, however, his father's eyes locked onto him and at the sight of his fear his features softened. The tension in Kenji's body instantly relaxed.

Kenshin fought the irrational rage that wished to take him over and focused his attention back on Tomoe and the other man he now knew by Enishi. He was not someone to be taken lightly, or so he had learned from the report he had been given. That report had been censored, of course, and that only made Kenshin worry more. Whatever he had not been told was what frightened him, but he could not let his ignorance affect his actions. He would be wary and ready, but after he had what he came for neither of the siblings would be his problem any longer. Clenching his teeth against a harsh smirk, Kenshin averted his attention to Tomoe and let his lip curl in disgust instead.

"I'm here so let's get this over with."

"Of course, _anata_." Tomoe spoke the word sarcastically, but when Kenshin didn't react to the jab she frowned. Kaoru only shifted her weight again. "Hmph. Did you bring what you were supposed to?"

Kenshin reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a small, hard case. "Right here. You'll get it when I get what you took from me."

"Ah, ah, anata, that's not how you do business. I thought you were better at making deals than this. Where's the guarantee that we will be getting what we want?"

Kenshin growled impatiently. "It's all in here. A certain amount of trust is needed in any business deal."

"Of course, which is why I'm willing to give you your son right now." Pressing the gun into Kaoru's head a little more firmly Tomoe smiled at Kaoru's frown. Tomoe was much too willing to let the boy go. "Put the boy down, that's good. Now, Kenji-chan, you are free to go. Aren't you excited?"

Kenji looked up at the two women undecidedly. "But… what about Mommy?"

"Don't worry about me sweetheart. Go to your father." Still hesitant he stepped back a couple paces, but turned when Kenshin spoke to him.

"Come here son." Kenshin was kneeling and Kenji couldn't help the sudden onslaught of relief that came from the fear he felt at being kidnapped at all. Kaoru had promised to get him out of the situation, and his father was that exit. Sprinting across the distance he threw himself into his father's arms and then tried to steady his breathing.

"You have to get Mommy, too. You have to save her, Daddy. They hurt her. They hurt her and it was my fault. She was only protecting me and that man hurt her."

Kenshin's chest tightened and the return of his anger killed his relief that he once more had his son safe and in his possession. Snapping golden eyes open to stare at Kaoru over Kenji's small shoulder he saw the marks on her face that only moments ago had been hidden by Kenji's small body. They spoke of what Kenji was telling him and the pain this situation had put her through. Pushing against Kenji's small shoulders he locked his gaze back on his son and spoke in what he hoped was a calm voice. As hard as he was trying to keep his anger under control it was still darkening his vision and soaking his heart and mind. When Kenji began trembling again he knew he was not pulling off the façade.

"I'm going to get her back." The short statement was all he could muster, but Kenji seemed to understand because he nodded. "I need you to do something for me, Kenji. Do you see those large barrels behind me?" Kenji leaned to one side to look around his shoulder and then nodded again. "Good, I need you to run over to them and hide. Don't come out until I tell you so, is that clear?" Again he nodded, and Kenshin kissed him quickly on the side of his head, hugged him, and then pushed him in that direction. Without questioning or hesitating Kenji took off running again and slipped behind a far barrel and disappeared.

Slowly Kenshin stood to his feet. Tomoe was frowning, but the sudden disappearance of Kenji did not seem to have much of an effect on their plan because they didn't react as if dismayed. Without waiting to be asked Kenshin whipped his arm and tossed the hard case across the room where it bounced once on the floor and slid to a stop at Enishi's feet. Bending slowly to retrieve it Enishi backed away until he was sure Kenshin wasn't going to try anything before turning to his laptop.

"You have what you wanted now release Kaoru."

"Don't be so impatient, anata. First my brother needs to make sure it's really what you say it is. Once we have proof that the money's really on there you'll get your little woman. Why don't we just all stay calm and have a nice little chat while we wait."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Oh, sure you do, anata. How about we reminisce a little? In fact I was just thinking yesterday about that one time in Fiji when we rented out that entire island and swam naked everyday. The water was so nice and warm and when we weren't swimming we were making love, do you remember?" Kenshin's face turned to stone and next to her Kaoru shifted to cross her arms. Tomoe's smile widened. "No? How about Paris or Italy? I suppose we didn't actually make it out of our hotel room in Paris so there isn't much to remember, but I know you remember Italy. You proposed to me there. That ring was so beautiful, too. I was almost sad when I sold it. Although I did get a hefty amount out of it so of course I wasn't that sad."

The stone look on Kenshin's face melted into a frown and one of his eyebrows lifted. "You and I remember Fiji and Paris differently. We weren't alone on that island and I don't ever remember swimming naked, and I had to go to Paris for business. If you never made it out of the hotel room it wasn't because of me."

"Oh dear, I suppose that is true. I guess I'm caught." Her free hand covered her mouth as she laughed. "You still proposed to me, though, so all that practice I got must have been pleasing for you. What about you, little raccoon? What's your ring look like? Oh, you're not wearing one, are you?" A condescending giggle escaped Tomoe's throat. "You haven't quite mastered the basics have you? Poor little prude. I could point you in the direction of a few men who could help you learn, if you want. All it takes is a couple little tricks and he'll propose to you in no time."

Kaoru sighed and this time it was just a bit impatient. "You're so pitiful I actually feel sorry for you." Tomoe's laughter seized and the loose grip she had on the gun tightened.

"What did you say?"

"I said I feel sorry for you." The statement was louder this time, and Kaoru's eyes opened to look at Tomoe. "You have no idea how lucky you were. You could have had such a wonderful life. Instead you just threw it all away because your selfish and greedy. You don't even know what love is so how can you claim you know how to make it?"

Briefly Tomoe's features contorted into anger, but she battled it back with a smirk. "You think you two make love, do you?" Glancing across the room at Kenshin Tomoe leaned closer and whispered so that he couldn't hear. "When he closes his eyes do you think he pretends you're me?" Kenshin's frown deepened now that he had no clue what was being said, but both he and Tomoe were caught off guard when Kaoru started to giggle.

Amused sapphire eyes looked him over and he thought he heard her say something like _fine, I'll play_ before she leaned closer to Tomoe to reply in a return whisper. "He keeps his eyes open." Kaoru's small grin twitched wider when Tomoe's features dropped. "He likes to watch me." Covering her smile with a surprised look, she blinked her falsely concerned eyes and pouted. "Did he close his eyes with you, Tomoe? How sad." Dropping her façade Kaoru's voice hardened as she leaned back. "Perhaps he pretended you were someone like me, bitch."

Tomoe's face was completely red with anger now, which worried Kenshin, but before she could let her temper rage Enishi was standing from the laptop. "It's all there, Sis. Let's get the hell out of here."

Kenshin took a step forward, but Tomoe grabbed Kaoru's arm with her free hand and dug the barrel of the gun just a touch harder into her skull. "Not so fast, we're not quite done here."

Enishi frowned behind her as he pocketed the small chip. "What are you talking about? We've got the money. Give him the fucking woman and let's go."

"But this exchange wasn't a fair one, isn't that right, raccoon?" Kaoru jerked which caused Kenshin to take another step forward, but the threat of the gun kept them both in place.

"What are you talking about?" Knowing his sister wouldn't just make something like that up, especially when it came to money, Enishi stopped arguing.

"We only got enough money for two hostages. My sweet husband thought he could get away with not paying us for the third."

"Third?"

Kenshin frowned, confused, and switched his attention between Kaoru and Tomoe. "What third hostage?"

"Oh, he doesn't know!" Tomoe laughed in amused derision. "Shame on you little raccoon for keeping secrets." Kaoru ground her teeth and her features twitched, but she kept quiet which only amused the other woman more.

"What third hostage? What the hell are you talking about?!" Kenshin was becoming agitated, but his outrage was only making Tomoe giddy with elation.

"Why, the one growing in the little raccoon's belly, of course."

Something inside Kenshin snapped and he was suddenly caught between explosive anger and terror. Every fearful thought and outcome came to mind, attacking him at once to battle with his rage and reasoning. As he tried to calm his breathing one important thought swam to the top and his entire being focused on being accusatory. "You greedy bitch, you haven't been truthful to me once the entire time I've know you. Why the hell should I believe you now? If you're after more money you'll have to find someone else! You've taken everything I have!"

"That may be true, but I'm willing to wait for you to make some more. I'll just keep the little raccoon until she has the baby. I may even send her back to you if she stays on good behavior. As to whether I'm lying or not, well, why don't you just ask her."

Kenshin's golden eyes locked abruptly on Kaoru, but she had already dodged his attention. "Kaoru." The voice of her lover was so hard and angry, but underneath it was fear and hurt. Unable to help her natural impulse to react she looked up, met his eyes briefly, and then looked down at the questioning she found. She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud in their current situation, but she couldn't lie to him either. It wasn't exactly how she had pictured telling him. Across the room Kenshin's eyes widened and Tomoe laughed again.

"Can't lie to him like you've been trying to lie to me? Weak little woman. You should learn how to lie better or it wouldn't have turned out like this." When Kaoru still refused to talk Tomoe shrugged. "Oh well, if you won't tell him why don't we just show him." The gun next to her temple disappeared and Tomoe's arm swung out before changing direction to ram the butt of the gun straight into Kaoru's stomach. Instinctively Kaoru caught Tomoe around the wrist to stall her attack, but instead of noticing her sudden dilemma Tomoe grinned as if triumphant.

"You see, she's such a good little mother isn't she?"

A low growl dropped the smirk from Tomoe's lips and she shot her attention back to Kaoru. Realizing her mistake too late Tomoe jerked her arm, but Kaoru refused to let go. "I promised myself this morning, _Tomoe_, that if you ever threatened to harm either of my babies again I was going break your arm." Fear finally touched Tomoe's perfect face and Kaoru smiled sweetly with a shrug. "And possibly three of your ribs."

Amber eyes shot to Enishi when Kenshin caught movement from him out of the corner of his eye. His green irises were angry and he was ready to intervene with whatever Kaoru had planned. Without a moment of hesitation Kenshin tensed the muscles in his legs and utilized the speed and agility he had needed to learn the sword style his father had taught to him. A loud bang from a gun going off was heard only a second before Kenshin slammed into Enishi's chest.

A quick twist and push tore a cry of pain from Tomoe's lips and then she was thrown to the ground. Instinctively her hand clenched on the gun and pulled the trigger, but the gunshot missed Kaoru by quite a bit. The ricochet of the bullet was lost in the large room and as Kaoru threw a kick into her ribs Tomoe tried to fire again. Still holding Tomoe's arm by the wrist with it twisted up behind her Kaoru tried to take the gun from her, but had to jerk her arm to the side when she fired the damn gun again. A lucky wrench pulled Tomoe's arm free, and Kaoru jumped after her when Tomoe scrambled to get away.

Another gunshot and Kenshin was only kept from looking by the man he was fighting. He required all of his attention, and his skill and discipline were dangerously honed. _Who the hell is this guy?_ Grunting, Kenshin slipped his leg around the taller man's and shifted his weight so that it brought them both down. Thankfully he had dropped the gun upon the initial impact and it was now lost among the debris and shadows. _Dammit Saitou! Where the hell are you!_

Straddling her hips Kaoru had Tomoe's gun arm pinned above her head with both of her own while Tomoe's free hand pulled her hair. Crying out in anger, Kaoru jerked on Tomoe's arm and slammed it down hard on the concrete. Having reached the limit of her tolerance for abuse the gun dropped from her fingers and Kaoru was able to shift her attention to subduing her completely. One hard punch in the face forced Tomoe to release her hair in favor of stalling the flow of blood from her nose, and with a quick twist of her body Kaoru had Tomoe's other arm locked in her legs.

"Stop moving or I'll really break your arm!"

"You broke my nose! You fucking bitch, you broke my nose!"

Tomoe continued to struggle and kick and Kaoru finally grew tired of it. "Have it your way!" With one wrenching force of pressure and a loud crack the bone broke and the pain became too much. Dark eyes rolled back into her head and Tomoe passed out. Releasing her arm with a careless toss Kaoru sat up and ran a hand through her hair where the woman had tore at it. "At least I didn't break your ribs."

Sharp footsteps forced Kaoru to look up suddenly and she found herself staring at a woman and a man. Both were dressed in dark clothes, bullet-proof vests, a large belt with extra pouches for ammo and whatever else they needed, and each had a gun. "Special forces, ma'am." Kaoru blinked. "Are you hurt?" Shaking her head dumbly she stared as the man extended his hand to help her up. "We're here to subdue and arrest the terrorists."

"You're a little late, don't you think?" Taking his hand she stood and thanked him, but cut off midway to turn sharply. "Kenshin!" There were already three men with him. One was tightening what looked like a zip-tie around Enishi's wrists, the second was holding a gun to his head to make sure he didn't move, while the third was talking Kenshin down. Seeing that he was safe her next thought jumped straight for Kenji.

Another quick turn found him being led by another woman who was trying to be gentle with his tear stained demeanor, but her training probably didn't allow for much gentleness. When Kenji saw that Kaoru was looking he ran for her and she bent down to meet him with a hug. "Mommy you're okay!" Kaoru sighed in relief as the adrenaline left her body reluctantly, and she rested her head lightly on his shoulder. "Daddy said he would get you back. He said so, and now you're okay." Kissing his hair she smiled and stood with him in her arms.

"I'm just fine, baby. Let's go make sure Daddy's okay, too."

As Kaoru turned back towards Kenshin she wondered at what she would find. Although he had been separated from Enishi by these new people she didn't know what kind of damage he had already inflicted on the man and on himself. All she could remember was the angry visage of her lover as he had attacked the mugger that night at the opera. His anger had threatened to take him over then, and that had only been because of a man talking about hurting someone he cared for. What kind of anger had he experienced this time when another had already hurt two people he loved?

When her eyes met his, however, she relaxed. The only thing visible in his fading amber irises was concern and relief. Enishi was being drug away and he looked no worse for wear. In fact Tomoe seemed to be in worse shape and Kaoru was chagrined for a moment. Who lost their temper this time? Meeting him halfway as he quickstepped to get to them she gratefully relaxed against him as his arms encircled them both.

"Mommy's fine Daddy. She beat that mean lady up and protected me just like she said."

"Yeah?" Briefly his hand slid down the back of her head, ran over her spine, touched the small of her back, and then lifted to tighten around her shoulders. "And you, Kenji? Are you okay?" Kenji nodded and the action was felt by both of them. When Kenshin finally pulled back Kaoru nervously looked away at the probing intensity in his gaze.

"The special forces, Kenshin? Was that really necessary?"

"Yes." His serious answer drug her eyes back to his, and he finally sighed after a moment. "I called in a favor, and it ended up being beneficial to us both. Enishi is wanted as a terrorist in seven different countries, including Japan. On top of that the Chinese mafia is after him, and that's only what they could inform me of. Apparently Tomoe has been an accomplice for more than a few of his operations. I don't think we'll have to worry about either of them again."

"That's understating it, Himura." The tall man she had seen earlier trying to talk Kenshin down strode up to stand beside them. A cigarette was hanging out of his mouth and his harsh yellow eyes looked her over briefly before darting back to Kenshin. "With all the information your virus obtained from his laptop we've got enough to put them away for life. The woman, too, though she'll have to be secured in the military hospital for a little while thanks to this one." His thumb jerked at Kaoru and she bristled just a bit, but he just laughed. "At least you called in your favor on something worth my time. We're even now, you understand. I don't ever want to see your number on my phone again."

Kenshin smiled. "How is Tokio-san, by the way?"

The yellow-eyed man grunted and turned away sharply. "Worry about your own business and don't let something like this ever happen again. I won't be around next time to bail you out."

"Bail me out? We did all the work! You just showed up and took the credit!" Kenshin grumbled low in his throat as Saitou walked away but he was distracted from his irritation when Kaoru placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. "Kaoru? Hey!" Catching her as she swayed, he pulled Kenji from her arms and braced her weight with a hand at her waist. "Saitou! I need an ambulance! Kaoru. Hey, talk to me. Are you alright?"

Kaoru smiled up at him from her position near his chest but there were tears in her eyes. "I'm fine Kenshin. I'm just… really hungry." The sorrowful declaration was so unexpected that he laughed, and his tensed muscles relaxed.

"Is that all?"

"That mean lady didn't feed Mommy last night and she didn't give us enough today." Kenji tried to explain in a serious voice and he didn't seem to see the hilarity in the situation like Kenshin did. As his brain caught up with him Kenshin's mirth died. Of course it wasn't good for her to be skipping meals because Kaoru was…

One of the other men was back beside them, and his arm offered to help Kaoru outside. "We called an ambulance earlier, Himura-san. They should be here any moment. Why don't we go outside and wait for it there?"

The ambulance arrived only a few minutes later and then they were all on their way to the hospital. Inside the ambulance they checked Kenji over first at Kaoru's insistence but they found nothing wrong with him. Once at the hospital, however, they promised his worried mother that they would perform some more in depth tests just to be sure.

Megumi met them personally at the entrance, and though she said nothing there was a telling crease in the middle of her brow. Once again Kaoru insisted that Kenji be checked, but Megumi had better reason to worry more for Kaoru than Kenji. "I will have him checked immediately by one of my best nurses, though in my opinion there is nothing wrong with him. I'm going to check you now."

Kenshin stood quietly by the wall as he watched a nurse check over his son and the head doctor start probing on Kaoru. There was an emotion he couldn't quit explain churning in his stomach. All he could register within the maelstrom was a strange touch of fear. "I know you just found out yesterday, but you should be more conscious of yourself now." Megumi was scolding her patient just like the last time Kaoru had been in the hospital. "You're baby depends on you taking care of yourself."

The fear in his gut tightened as the doctor confirmed the pregnancy and his eyes shot to Kaoru just in time to see her face crunch slightly before her hands blocked his view. "I know." The fear he felt mixed with anxiety and he was plagued by questions and doubts. Was she upset that she was pregnant? Of course he should have been more careful, and he knew she didn't have any experience in the matter so it was all his fault. Had she not thought about the consequences at all though? Kenshin winced. He obviously hadn't. But would their relationship turn into something just like the last time? Kenshin's eyes shot to Kenji. Tomoe had hated being pregnant and then abandoned her child afterwards.

A small frown tugged on his lips. Kaoru had protected Kenji from that past and the mother that had despised them both. Kaoru loved Kenji and she loved being called Mother. In the process she had been hurt, but… what if that caused her to lose the baby? New fear as well as a touch of anger gripped his heart. He had only just found out about the baby, he hadn't been given enough time to get used to the idea. What would he do if it was gone already? Why had Kaoru done that? Why had she put herself in danger? Did she not think about the baby they had created? Did she not care?

Kenshin's eyes clenched shut. He knew Kaoru had only been thinking about saving Kenji, and he loved her so much for risking everything just to make sure he was safe. It was not so simple, though. Tomoe had only wanted Kenji to begin with. By interfering Kaoru could have been killed. He was so angry with her for doing what she had… but he was also so very thankful.

"He's just fine, Takani-sensei."

Kenji smiled at the nurse as she patted his head and then left him seated on the bed next to Kaoru's. The taller lady doctor nodded and graced him with a small grin before she turned back to his mother. Kaoru was still laying down but her hands were no longer covering her face and she seemed in control of her emotions again as she smiled comfortingly back at him. "I'm so glad, baby." Her hand reached out for him and he hoped down from the bed so he could get closer. Grabbing her hand in his he hopped up on the chair next to her and stood by her head while the doctor worked.

"What's she doing, Mommy?"

Kaoru bit her lip. "She's just making sure I'm okay."

"Are you okay? You said so, but they really hurt you Mommy."

The look in Kaoru's eyes softened and she pulled his head down to touch their foreheads together. "I'm just a little dizzy and hungry. Nothing to worry about, firecracker."

"You're mom's going to be just fine, buddy." Megumi pulled a long needle out of Kaoru's arm then handed off two vials of blood samples to another nurse. "Her blood sugar's a little low and she's a bit dehydrated, but I'm here to make sure she's going to be fine." Covering Kaoru with a blanket Megumi signaled for another nurse to come in and turned her attention to Kaoru. "While we wait for your blood tests I want to get you upstairs so we can do an ultrasound. You're not having any pains and that's good, but I would like to be 100% sure and I know you would appreciate that as well."

"Yes, thank you."

"What about you, bud, you want to see some cool pictures?"

Kenji blinked and nodded hesitantly. He didn't know what they were talking about, but if they were moving his mom anywhere he was going with her. As Kaoru's bed was wheeled out the door he took his father's hand and they both followed after. When Kenji looked up at his father, though, he seemed preoccupied and had that worried look on his face he sometimes wore when Kenji fell down or got hurt.

An elevator ride later and they were all crammed into a dark room. Some cold gel was smeared all over Kaoru's stomach and then a nurse put some strange looking piece of machinery on top of the gel. The tall doctor was messing with a television screen and then Kenji heard a strange noise. It was similar to the sound of Kaoru's heartbeat when she hugged him tight to her chest only quicker. Glancing up at his dad he found his eyes were glued to the dark flickering screen and so he followed his lead and looked as well.

"There it is." There was a smile in Megumi's voice as she pointed with a finger. "And everything looks just fine." Megumi's dark eyes looked first at Kaoru then shifted to Kenshin. The look on his face was one she had seen on many fathers. There was wonder and awe as well as a touch of fear and anxiety. Returning her attention to Kaoru her smile widened. This was her first baby and the look on her face was normal as well. "I know we talked about waiting, but since we're all here now do you want me to explain what you're looking at?" Kaoru bit her lip and then nodded slowly.

"You're nine weeks along already so the baby has most of the essential organs developed and as you can hear its heart is working just fine. Here's the head, and right here you can just see an ear and the mouth and nose and eyelids. There's its little hands and feet and the umbilical cord. We won't be able to tell what gender it is for awhile yet, but here's where that will be. The baby's just about the size of a grape right now, but it'll start putting on weight after this. That flat stomach of yours isn't going to stay that way for very much longer." Kaoru briefly smiled but her eyes were glued to the screen. After another second the nurse froze the picture and pulled the ultrasound away from her stomach.

Kenji frowned. He was fairly certain he had just heard the word baby used more than once and they were pointing at the weird screen while saying it. He couldn't make out anything on that screen let alone what he knew a baby looked like. As the tall doctor started pointing out particular features, however, the picture began to clear. When they froze it he could see what they were talking about, and though it still did not look like the babies he had seen he did recognize the shape. Releasing his father's hand he walked slowly up to the side of Kaoru's bed and gripped the thin mattress with both hands so that he could raise up on his tiptoes and see the screen better.

"Mommy… what is that?" Sapphire eyes pulled away from the screen to look down at him and the smile she gave him was a little uncertain. After a moment her hand stroked the back of his head and encouraged him to come closer to the head of the bed.

"Do you remember what we were talking about this morning, baby? Do you remember telling me how you wanted a baby brother?" Kenji nodded dumbly. "Do you also remember how I said that if I did have another baby that it wouldn't mean I would love you any less?" Kenji nodded again, this time with a little more surety. "Good." She pulled him forward and kissed him warmly on the forehead. "That right there is a picture of your baby brother or sister. Right now he or she is still growing and it will be several months before you will get to meet him or her. Until then this will be the only way we get to see the new baby."

Kenji's wide eyes darted between the screen and Kaoru's stomach. "Where is he now? In there?" His finger pointed at her stomach. "Is my baby brother in there?" He turned his attention back to Kaoru for her answer.

"That's right, sweetheart. For the first part of his life I have to carry him and help him grow. Then, when he's ready, he'll come out to meet his wonderful big brother. Of course, it could be a girl, too." Pushing red hair behind his ears Kaoru smiled at him happily. It only took Kenji a couple of seconds of thought before his face crumbled and he started to cry. "Oh, Kenji, it's alright." Sitting up Kaoru hugged him tightly. "You don't have to worry. Your father and I love you so much. That won't stop just because…"

"I'm a bad big brother!" Kaoru froze and blinked as he tearfully announced the true origin of his sorrow. When he continued her eyes shot up to Kenshin who was still just observing everything from the other side of the room. "I'm supposed to… to protect my little brother and… hic… all I did was, was… put him in danger. You had to protect me and you got hurt and if you get hurt then he gets hurt, right? I wanted to be a good big brother but I failed!"

"Come here, Kenji." Kenshin pulled him gently out of Kaoru's arms and tucked him against his shoulder. "Let's go talk outside." Squeezing Kaoru's hand warmly Kenshin placed it gently back on the bed then turned his attention to Megumi. "Will you keep her here or move her?" Megumi informed him of the room number they would move her to next and Kenshin nodded before walking out.

"He… he didn't say anything." Kaoru pulled her distressed eyes from the doorway and directed them on Megumi. "He didn't say anything about our baby and Kenji was…"

"Calm down, Kaoru-san. Your just feeling a little over-emotional. It's completely natural."

Outside in the hallway Kenshin rocked Kenji gently as he walked through the quiet corridors. As Kenji's tears became less he found a bathroom and sat him on the countertop to help him blow his nose. They stared at each other for a moment and Kenshin could see how his son's features were becoming more and more like his own. It seemed he was also developing some of his personality traits as well. He liked to blame too much on himself.

"It doesn't matter what happened, Kenji." Kenshin wiped at his tear stained cheeks while he tried to make him understand. "It doesn't matter why or how, all that matters is what happens now and what happens after this."

Sniffing, Kenji rubbed at his itchy eyes. "What do you mean? It was my fault. It does matter. Mommy told me that her family protects what's important and she and my baby brother are important so I should have protected them. I didn't so I failed."

"You misunderstood, Kenji."

"But she's my mommy and that means she's family and so her family's my family, too, right?"

"Yes, Kenji, that's right, but you misunderstood what she meant. Her words are not about success or failure in the past. What you need to focus on is what you can do from now on. It doesn't matter what happened before this, you have to focus on what happens after this. I failed to protect both of you, Kenji." Kenshin's eyes briefly closed. "No, I failed to protect all three of you, but I can't focus on my failure. If I am to do better next time, if I am to _not fail_, I have to get better at protecting what is important to me. It's going to be harder from now on, though. I… won't be able to do this on my own."

Kenji blinked. The hitch in his father's voice had made him sound so vulnerable. "Dad?"

"Will you help me, Kenji? I'll take care of all the big things, but we shouldn't overlook the small things either. If you help me I know we can protect them both."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Kenji nodded enthusiastically. "I wanna help, Daddy. I wanna protect Mommy and my baby brother, just like Mommy protected me."

"That kind of protection will be my job, Kenji, but there are other things that we'll need to look out for." Picking him up off the counter Kenshin turned for the door. "It's going to be a full time job, but I already feel so much better just knowing you want to help."

Kenji smiled brightly. He never thought about his dad needing help, and just knowing that he wanted help from him made him feel special. "Oh, what about your surprise, Dad? I've kept it a secret just like you wanted, but I think Mom would really like it."

"Good job, little man. We're going to have to set another date, but for now you just keep that secret like you have."

"Yes, sir." Kenji giggled.

"Also, why don't you keep your baby brother a secret for a little while, too. No telling Yahiko-kun or anyone else, okay? At least until after our surprise."

"Okay." They were quiet as they walked back down the hallway, and everything seemed to be worked out when Kenshin turned toward the elevators. As they stepped onto the elevator to find Kaoru's floor, however, Kenji's little features turned thoughtful. "How did my baby brother get in Mommy's belly anyway?"

Kenshin froze and glanced at his son out of the corner of his eye. He was waiting patiently for an answer and Kenshin's mind was suddenly blank. "He uh… was put there… by God."

"Oh… wow, that's cool."

X

Kaoru softly brushed Kenji's red hair out of his eyes and watched him sleep for another couple of minutes. They had just finished their bath an hour before and after Kaoru had helped him to dry his hair and change into his pajamas she had put him to bed. As promised he was safely tucked away in her bed where he would sleep happily between his mother and father. Kaoru sighed. Kenshin was taking his bath now and so she had a few minutes to herself to think. With nothing to focus on, though, the reality of everything was starting to press down on her.

To distract herself she walked to her outer shoji and slipped out onto the veranda. The stars were out and since her dojo was nearer to the outskirts of Tokyo she could just barely see them. It was warmer tonight than the night before and she was thankful even as she pulled her house robe closer around her body. She didn't want to catch a chill and get sick. She did have more than herself to think about now.

Everything had checked out fine at the hospital and they even fed her before they let her leave. Back home she found Misao and Aoshi waiting at her dojo, and to her surprise Misao had cleaned everything up and even cooked them supper. So Kaoru actually got fed twice. Unfortunately she threw most of up an hour later. Misao had expressed concern that she was still upset over the incident, but Kaoru knew better. For now though she didn't want to tell her best friend because…

Kenshin still hadn't said anything to her about their baby. It scared her. Was he upset? Was he afraid? Did he want another baby or did he only want a mother for his five year old child? Kaoru hadn't really thought about having a baby, but now that she knew she was pregnant she wanted her baby. When she had set up a doctor's appointment she had thought she had a bad bug or something. Her period wasn't all that regular so she had thought nothing of just spotting for a few days or about how late it was in coming. When Megumi had patiently explained what the real problem was Kaoru had been in shock. But after the shock had come joy. Of course she wanted their baby! No she had no thoughts of getting rid of it! When she had picked Kenji up from school she had been so high up on cloud nine that she had completely lost track of her surroundings. The entire kidnapping was all her fault.

Shaking that from her brain Kaoru leaned against one of the engawa posts. She had been so sure Kenshin would be happy, too. She expected shock, but after that happiness, just like her. Had she misread him? Had she missed something important? After thinking on it she had realized that they hadn't exactly been very careful about their love making and so she had thought he was open to the possibility. Was she supposed to be responsible for that? Was it the woman's job to make sure she didn't get pregnant? Kaoru didn't really know, but she felt that there should be some kind of equality about it. Wasn't he just as responsible as she?

_I don't know what I'll do if he tells me he doesn't want another baby. What if he makes me chose between Kenji and my baby? I can't do that! I love Kenji so much and I can't give him up, but… I can't give up my baby either. Maybe… he'll let me visit Kenji still. If he doesn't want another baby I'll raise this one on my own. I won't need anything from him, but… it will really be sad. I wanted my baby to have a father, too._

Dark lashes fell quickly but two tears escaped to slip down her cheeks. She didn't really believe Kenshin would do that to her, but it was so hard not to think of the possibilities. It would be even worse if he felt obligated to stay with her now. Maybe… he felt like she was trapping him just like Tomoe had. Maybe he thought she had purposely conceived a child just to force him into staying with her. Kaoru's head shook. She didn't want to do that. If he did feel that way she would never make him stay. She would tell him to go back to his own house. She would handle everything herself without ever asking anything from him.

_I will protect what's important no matter the cost._ But that cost had almost been too high this last time. Kaoru's mind jumped back to the night before and her sorrow was joined by the fear she had felt. Seeing that man hurt Kenji like he had and then taking the full brunt of his anger herself… she had been so afraid! Kaoru had always thought she would make the right decision no matter what, but sometimes it was not so easy. Instinctively she had jumped in to protect Kenji from harm, but afterwards she had been forced to decide whether she should keep protecting Kenji or protect herself and the baby growing inside of her. Such a decision was nearly impossible to make. Kenji could not be replaced, and so she knew she should not let him get hurt, but if she were to allow her baby to die that too would break her heart. It would go against everything she had ever been taught, but more than that it would forever scar the maternal part of her that Kenji had awakened.

Without noticing Kaoru's silent tears had turned into sobs and she was clutching the post like an anchor when Kenshin touched her shoulder. Jumping at the sudden contact Kaoru threw him a look but his presence only clenched the muscles around her heart harder. She didn't reach for him because she didn't know if he wanted her to, but when his gentle hands tugged her away from the post she clung to him instead. Soothingly his hands stroked up and down her back, and she cried and cried and cried to relieve herself of all the fears, doubts, and stress that was plaguing her.

"It's alright now, koishii. I have you."

It was still hard to breathe, but Kaoru found herself trying to speak anyway. She wanted to explain her sorrow to him, she wanted him to make it go away, but everything came out disjointed and she found it impossible to tell him her fears about him and their baby.

"He shook him so hard, Kenshin. That man had Kenji by the shoulders and he… he shook him so hard and I was so scared for him. I had to do something. I had to make him stop but then he turned on me and Kenji and he tried to hurt us both and I was so scared he would…" Kaoru dissolved into sobs once more, and the rest came out watery and nearly unintelligible. "I knew if I fought back it would only make it worse but I couldn't let him hurt my babies. I couldn't let him…"

Kenshin's jaw clenched and the gentle arms around her back tightened to crush her against him. Hearing what they had gone through after seeing the marks on her body only made it even more real. He's anger was pointless now, though, since there was nothing left he could take it out on but her. All she had done was protect what she loved and he had no right to be angry. But that did not stop the feeling. He wanted to yell at her, but what good would that do? The woman was already a mess in his arms and hurting her any more would only hurt him and probably push her away. He never wanted to let her go.

The arms around his neck clung harder in retaliation to his actions and he loosened his grip only enough to adjust his arms to a more comforting position. "Everything's fine now, koishii. You don't need to worry anymore."

Kaoru's tears were becoming less, but her hiccups were still present. A shaky deep breath pulled into her lungs than rushed out against his neck and she sniffed before she nodded. "I know it's just… my hormones are all over the place! It's awful!" Fresh tears jerked at her eyes and throat and when Kenshin pulled back she let go to cover her face. "I'm sorry! I'm trying to stop!"

"Don't hide from me." Gently his hands tugged on her wrists to free her face and then he was pushing back the hair sticking to her cheeks. "I want to see you."

"But I must look awful!" Trying to push away his probing fingers so she could once again hide, he caught her hands in his and lowered them between them.

"No. You always look so beautiful." Slowly he closed the distance between them and touched his lips gently to hers. The contact was reassuring and it erased her doubts momentarily to focus her entire being on him and the press of his mouth. Naturally she answered his seeking motions and her lips parted to allow further intrusion. It was so instinctive to follow where the resulting sensations lead with her now that by the time Kenshin realized what he had done his knee was slipped between hers and she was pressed up against the outer wall.

Gradually lessening the contact they shared Kenshin pulled back and closed his eyes to steady his desire. When his eyes opened again he could see that her tears were finally drying and the shine in her sapphire eyes was no longer from sorrow. A few seconds of study later and she clenched her eyes shut and dropped her head back against the outer wall of her home. "I told you my hormones were all out of whack."

Kenshin smiled and chuckled softy. "I'm fairly certain that wasn't all your fault." Stepping back he encouraged her to follow and carefully lead her back towards her bedroom. "And I'm sure you're just tired, Kaoru. After everything that's happened you just need to sleep." They stepped back through the open door and Kenshin slid it shut after them. Gently he pulled her house robe from her shoulders and then tucked her into the bed next to Kenji. A tender kiss was left on her temple before he circled the bed and climbed in himself.

Comfortably Kaoru hugged Kenji to her chest and he shifted once but she was glad when he didn't wake up. With her eyes adjusted to the darkness she could see that Kenshin was watching them. She hadn't lied when she had told Tomoe that Kenshin liked to watch, but it wasn't only when they were making love. Kaoru was always catching Kenshin watching both her and Kenji. A part of her knew it was because he didn't want to miss anything. He wanted to see and witness everything that had not been there before Kaoru had stumbled into their lives. Nothing was taken for granted between them. There was no reason for her to fear how their baby would affect their relationship.

"Go to sleep, koishii. I promise you're both safe now. I promise I will protect our family."

For a moment Kaoru chewed her lip. "All of us, Kenshin?" There was no reason to fear, but fear was not always rational. She could not say exactly what she feared, but she was hoping he would alleviate it with his answer.

The calloused but tender touch of his fingers caressed the ugly bruise on her cheek. "All four of us."

Kaoru's fear subsided.

X

Two weeks later Kenshin found himself nervously checking his inside jacket pocket for the twelfth time. Kaoru raised an eyebrow at him in the mirror of her vanity and he tried to smile in an inconspicuous way but she merely shook her head. Putting the finishing touches on the makeup covering the healing bruise on her cheek she questioned him about his crazy fidgeting. "Is your shirt itching you or something?"

"It's nothing, koishii." Stepping up behind her he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down so he was level with her face in the mirror. "Should I be jealous that you're getting this dressed up for Shinomori and Misao's early wedding party?" Briefly his eyes roamed over her reflection in the mirror and then dropped to look down the v-neck of the black dress she was wearing. It wasn't the same black dress from their first date, but it put him in mind of that dress and that night. Perhaps he could talk her into retiring early from the party.

"Eyes up top Himura. You do realize since we're hosting the party in my training hall that we have to stay the entire time, don't you?"

Kenshin pursed his lips. "Fine. But we'll have to put Kenji to bed at some point."

Kaoru sighed and stood from her chair to dig through her closet for a light jacket. "You are absolutely hopeless." There was no point in finding any shoes since she couldn't wear any so she had bought some cute knee high socks to wear with her dress instead. They were straight black but they had some pretty designs woven into the threads. When Kaoru turned his hand was in his pocket again and she crossed her arms. "Alright what's going on?"

"Going on? W-what do you mean?" Kenshin pulled an innocent look but Kaoru started tapping her toes impatiently so he knew he had to come up with something quick. "Alright, Sano planned this prank for Shinomori and he's forced me to play along."

Shaking her head Kaoru moved back to her vanity to dig up some jewelry to wear. "Boys. Just don't make a mess in my training hall that won't come up."

"Yes, ma'am." Pleased that she had accepted his answer, Kenshin watched as she pinned two diamond studs to her ears and then clipped the matching necklace around her neck. He had bought them for her too and they looked beautiful on her. Of course Kaoru looked beautiful in anything, although he didn't quit understand it but she had looked even more beautiful the past couple of weeks. He'd heard people talk about what pregnancy could do to a woman, but he had never quit believed it. He remembered thinking that he had never seen Tomoe look more upset and revolted than when she was pregnant. Kaoru practically glowed, and he wondered if it had everything to do with being truly happy.

She wasn't showing yet, but he could tell where her waist was thicker than before and her breasts were fuller. She was really sensitive, too, and their lovemaking had become almost unbearably gratifying. They hadn't spoken much yet about the pregnancy, but every once in awhile she would let him know what was and was not allowed. _"Because I'm pregnant, Kenshin."_ And he would nod and then they would go on with whatever it was they were doing with her amendment in place. It wasn't that he was necessarily scared anymore, but there was still that anger and fear lingering in the back of his mind that he couldn't tell her about. He had other things he wanted to do first before they completely talked about their baby. Perhaps he was just old-fashioned or perhaps he needed to have too much order in his world, but he believed that there were steps to things like this and they had skipped a very important one he could not ignore. Though that had a lot to do with bad timing and unwanted interferences and less with finding out that she was pregnant.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you. What kind of favor did you do for that special forces guy that he owed you?" Kaoru brushed back a few stray hairs from her face and she glanced at him in the mirror.

Kenshin grinned. "Well, you'll never believe it but we went to college together and Saitou found that there was a girl he couldn't talk to. Of course she had to be the one girl he was actually interested in, so I introduced them."

"So you were friends with her, too?"

"Not really, but we had a class together and she saved my butt a couple of times by letting me copy her notes. Saitou wasn't exactly happy about asking for my help, but he was pretty desperate. I never told him, but I knew she was interested, too, so he didn't really have anything to worry about."

Kaoru laughed. "Awful man."

Shrugging, Kenshin stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and looked unabashed. "I guess I was already a business man back then and I figured it would be good if he owed me a favor." His features became more serious. "I'm glad he did."

Preoccupied, Kaoru missed his change in attitude. "Well it was really nice of you anyway, Kenshin. Are you ready?" Kaoru was looking at the clock and then turned to him with a smile. Kenshin shook his head and his mood shifted quickly as he tried to suppress a grin. He had been ready for the past half-hour but she had insisted that he stay in there with her. If he didn't know any better he would think she was trying to delay him. "Everything should be ready by now."

Kenshin took her hand in his and they exited out onto the engawa. "So why haven't I been allowed in the training hall again this whole time? I don't really buy all this about me being unable to keep it a secret from Shinomori."

"Oh really, Kenshin. You know women are better at planning these kinds of things anyway. You would have just been bored watching us decorate."

"I could have helped cook though. You didn't let me do anything and I owe Shinomori a lot. I didn't even get to buy the food you had catered from the restaurant." Kenshin frowned. "Where did you get all this money anyway?"

"Oh, I found a couple of good sponsors." Kaoru waved her hand nonchalantly and then opened the door to the training hall with grin. Once they stepped inside Kenshin found out the real reason for his exclusion and he froze in place as several faces he had not expected shouted their congratulations. There were people from work, such as Ishijima and Kimiko and her fiancé. Hiko and Sano had both flown over from America without him knowing about it. Yahiko was standing next to Kenji, Aoshi was next to Misao who was grinning like an idiot for being part of the plan that tricked him, and even Megumi was there from the hospital. There were many others and he blinked as his attention was drawn next to the decorations and food.

Several tables were set up on tatami mats to protect the floor and they were covered with food and beverages and at the end was a large cake with waiting candles. Along the back wall was a huge banner and he recognized his son's handiwork in the design and drawings. It was nothing he had ever expected. Nothing he had ever been given before. Inside his heart he hoped he was always loved like this.

Darting his eyes back to Kaoru he must have looked completely dumbstruck because she giggled before leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, Kenshin. I know it's a day early, but I thought you could spend tonight with your friends and tomorrow with your family." Snaking his arm around her waist he hugged her to him briefly to whisper his love and appreciation.

"See, idiot. I didn't get dressed up for anyone but you." She stuck her tongue out at him then pulled away to lead him into the room and start the party.

An hour later Kenshin found himself standing with Sano and Aoshi while they watched Hiko and the girls sing along with the karaoke machine they had rented. "Damn, look at that fox! I think I want one." Sano took another swig out of his drink then laughed. "You know she's shot me down twice already, but she keeps talking so I think she's just playing hard to get."

Kenshin lifted an eyebrow and glanced across at the tall doctor Sano had joking nicknamed the "Fox." Apparently it was because she was not only damn attractive but witty and hard to get as well. When her cinnamon eyes glanced their way Kenshin was surprised to find that Sano wasn't just hopelessly wishing he was right. Megumi was interested, too. _Well that will be an interesting pair. For as long as it lasts anyway._ Sano had apparently noticed the look as well.

"Yep, it's certain. I want her."

"Good luck with that." Kenshin tried to hide his grin when Sano took his words at face value and thanked him. A moment later and the mood shifted.

"So did everything work out with that code I created for you?"

Kenshin nodded and took a sip of his own drink. "Yes it did, and thanks. Apparently Saitou was able to dig up more than they had hoped for with it. Both Tomoe and her brother are being held in maximum security while they figure out what they're going to do with them. I'm not sure I really want to know. If it's too bad it will upset Kaoru."

Sano grunted but agreed. "Yeah, she's feisty and mean as hell when you piss her off but she's too sweet. So, did Enishi believe that the money was really on there?"

"Luckily he did. I was prepared for him to call me on that one, but he didn't check it as thoroughly as he thought he did apparently. It was a good thing because Saitou took his sweet ass time getting there."

"Bullshit, he just didn't realize he was messing with the top dogs around here. He thought he was a genius. Psh. The real genius is right here, buddy!" Sano jerked a thumb at himself and Kenshin couldn't help but laugh. The man was getting drunker by the minute. Though he was right. Kenshin couldn't have pulled any of it off without both Sano or Aoshi, even if Aoshi's part was just a little more subtle.

"Geniuses, Sano. You didn't do all the work on that chip, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." Refilling his glass he lifted it and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Here's to the three smartest men in the world!" Then he gave a loud whoop and downed his drink. The room went quiet except for the music still playing form the karaoke machine and Hiko cleared his throat loudly into the microphone. "Yep, sorry, old man. Four smartest guys." Megumi lifted an eyebrow but Misao and Kaoru started giggling so it only encouraged Sano to grin like an idiot.

A little later Aoshi had to take Sano outside to clear his head for awhile and Kenshin was able to get away long enough to find Kenji who was chatting animatedly away with Yahiko. Poor Yahiko looked like he was trying to stay interested, but his eyes kept pulling away from Kenji to watch one of the servers that had been hired to work the food tables from the restaurant. She was a cute little girl, about Yahiko's age, and she blushed scarlet every time she noticed Yahiko looking.

"Hey, Kenji, do you mind if I talk to you?" Kenji looked up and over at his dad.

"I was just telling Yahiko-nii about school."

"Really? I'm sure he won't mind listening to more of that later, right, Yahiko-kun?"

"Huh, oh, yeah sure. Whenever your ready, Kenji-chan. I'll just… be over by the food." Kenshin grinned as Yahiko walked over to the far end of one of the tables then tried to casually saunter his way closer to the girl.

"Do you like the banner, Dad? I made it myself. Mom told me I could and she even let me pick out everything I needed. I spent a lot of time on it and I made it just for you."

"I like it very much. It's awesome, Kenji." Kenji was starting to get to that age where awesome and cool was taking over words that were too girly like pretty and beautiful. "I've got something I want to show you, though. Are you ready to help with Mom's surprise?" Kenji grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

As Misao's attention was distracted from her Kaoru finally was able to step back and breathe. It was getting close to time to cut Kenshin's cake. In about forty-five minutes the firework display she had been able to set up would start and she wanted to make sure everyone had a good very from the back porch. Looking around for Kenshin she smiled when she found him ducked down in a corner talking to Kenji. Kenji looked like he was excited about something and his joy made her heart light. Her other baby was making her queasy however so she took a sip of her water and prayed for her stomach to settle. The nausea had started to lessen but the wide variety of smells in the air was a bit too much just yet. Megumi had promised it would go away soon and she would be eating like a horse again.

_Great, I'll probably look like one too._ Sitting down her glass she smiled as Kenji started walking towards her. When he reached her she ruffled his hair and asked him if he was having fun, but instead of answering he tugged on her hand until she was out in the middle of the floor.

"What's wrong baby?"

"I have something I want to ask you."

"Okay, what is it?"

Looking quit nervous but trying to be brave he stepped to one side and pulled a bell out of his pocket. Three sharp rings of it grabbed everyone's attention and his face turned red as all sets of eyes turned on him. "I… I would like everyone's a-attention please." Kenji swallowed and turned back to Kaoru and his wide little eyes worried her. She was about to bend down so they were level when he held up his hand to stop her. With his other hand he stuffed the bell back into his pocket and pulled something else out. Kaoru's eyes widened as she recognized the shape of the box.

Small fingers fumbled a moment with the opening and then he was holding it up for her to see. "Kaoru, will you be my mommy forever?" A unison noise of awe droned in the background but Kaoru couldn't quite figure out what was going on yet. Her eyes were glued to the ring carefully tucked away amongst the velvet within the box. The band was white gold and there were only four pure stones set on top of it. The centerpiece was a good sized ruby that was offset with the band so that it leaned to one side more than the other. Trailing away from it to the left was three smaller diamonds whose settings curled back towards the band and ended with an elegant swirl. It was beautiful and no doubt much more expensive than just a mere gift warranted. And then her brain kicked back in and she actually heard what he had just said. This was something she would wear forever.

Sapphire eyes slid away from the ring to stare down at Kenji and his dear, sweet, nervous little face. No one had said a word yet and she found she couldn't either. This was so perfect. This was so wonderful. This was so… Kenshin.

Another small box appeared next to Kenji's and Kaoru turned her attention to Kenshin as he knelt down behind Kenji and offered her his ring. He swallowed first and she could tell he was nervous too, but he was hiding it better than Kenji. "Kamiya Kaoru, will you marry me?" Kaoru's eyes widened further and she stared at the ring he was holding. It was the exact twin of Kenji's ring except that the centerpiece stone was a diamond and the three small stones were rubies. It's shape was the same as well, but as she studied them both she saw why they were so lopsided. These rings were meant to be worn together.

When she took too long to answer, Kenshin stuttered on a little more quietly. "You don't have to say yes to both of us. If you want to say yes to Kenji you don't have to say yes to me, too."

Kaoru barely registered his anxiety, she was too wrapped up in her moment to notice. This was better than any trip to Italy. What did she know or care about Italy or any other foreign country for that matter? This was home, this was special, this was her family. Kaoru was so happy she couldn't speak, and as Kenshin's worried expression melted into a smile she could tell he knew. This was all she needed. He would always take care of his family; Kenji, her, and their baby.

_Wait. What did he just say?_ Kaoru's joy dimmed just a bit. Did he not really want her to say yes? Did he only feel obligated to ask?

The smile on Kenshin's face dropped as Kaoru's happiness abruptly disappeared and he lowered his hand when she leaned forward. The whisper of her voice was so soft only he could hear it in the quiet room. "Are you only asking me because I'm pregnant?"

"What?" Surprised and distraught by her assumption Kenshin shook his head desperately. "No. I had planned to ask you… that night at dinner, two weeks ago." The expression on her face softened and he ducked his head as he confessed further. "Actually these have been in my safe at work since New York. I just wanted to make sure you really wanted us."

When Kaoru leaned back the beautiful smile was back on her face and the tension in the room released in one long breath. Kneeling down with them she cupped a hand around Kenji's cheek and kissed him first. "Yes, Kenji. I will gladly be your mother forever." Kenji bounced and wrapped his arms around her happily. Kaoru's other hand was already soft against Kenshin's neck and jaw and she switched her attention to him to kiss his cheek as well. "And yes, I'll marry you, Kenshin. I'd be so happy to."

Kenshin's arms came around them both and he held them tight against him as loud applause filled the room and general shouts of congratulations. Hiding his face against her neck for a moment he tried to steady himself before he released them. It was suddenly hard to breathe, however, and though his brain was functioning it was difficult to get his body to cooperate. Trying to help Kenji remove the rings from the boxes and fit them together he noticed in frustration that his fingers were shaking. As they finally clicked together, however, and he was able to slip the ring onto her finger he looked up and his being steadied. Kaoru was his now. No, she was _theirs _now. Everything in his world was suddenly and irrevocably right.

Everyone came around to congratulate them personally and Kenshin was feeling more and more sure of his situation by the moment. Perhaps he was feeling a little too proud, but it was his birthday party and everyone would just have to forgive him. Kaoru was beaming and showing off her ring when asked, but her hand would not let go of his and when he squeezed her fingers she squeezed back. Everything was going so wonderfully until Kenshin heard Sano question Kenji.

"So are you excited, bud, about the three of you officially being a family?"

Just as the question registered Kenshin knew Kenji's answer would be bad. Before he could intervene, however, Kenji's thoughtful little features turned excited and his hand shot up with four fingers held high.

"There's four of us, Uncle Sano! And I'm real excited!"

"Four of you?" Sano was confused at first, but it was Hiko who Kenshin was standing beside who caught on the quickest.

"Four, boy?" There was a tone of displeasure in his voice and Kenshin couldn't help but duck as the room went silent again.

Kaoru merely sighed. "Kenji, I thought we had talked about keeping that a secret for now." Kenji's face dropped and his hand slapped over his mouth, but Kaoru just smiled and shook her head.

"Kaoru you're pregnant!?" Misao's voice carried and Kaoru winced as her best-friend took up residence next to her and started bouncing. Whether she was angry or happy, Kaoru couldn't tell. "Why didn't you tell me! Oh my god! Are you going to fit into your dress? Is that why you've been drinking water all night? Have you been nauseous? Can I get you anything? I'll have to organize a baby shower now. Is it a boy or a girl? When are you due?"

Kaoru shook her head and shot a side look at Kenshin but he was too preoccupied with trying to apologize to Hiko who was looking like he was ready to whip his adopted son. When Hiko noticed Kaoru looking, though, he winked and grinned briefly. _What a crazy family of friends we have._

The cake was cut and served and everyone stepped outside just in time for the fireworks to start. Kenji cried in delight every time they burst and boomed in the sky, and he thought he finally understood the nickname Kaoru had given to him. Sano was still trying to sweet talk Megumi, and though Megumi hadn't said anything, Kaoru knew she was already planning a trip to New York for her family hospital. Perhaps their relationship would work. Aoshi and Misao cuddled together and for the first time she let the children be children and watched in silence instead.

With a happy sigh and a brief rub of her hand across her settling stomach, Kaoru leaned against Kenshin and stared at the sparks of life burst and fade. The ring on her hand was unfamiliar still, but its heavy weight was a welcome reminder of a moment she would never forget. Comfortable and surer than ever before she wrapped her arm around Kenshin's neck and spoke what she hadn't been able to for the last couple of weeks.

"I'm pregnant, Kenshin… and you haven't really told me how you feel about it yet." The hand that was wrapped loosely around her waist tightened and his muscles stiffened under her touch but he still didn't say anything. "If you're upset or unhappy about it, you can tell me. Whatever you feel I want to know. Please just… explain to me why you haven't said anything."

"I'm…"

"Yes?"

"I'm just so… _angry_, Kaoru." Her heart clenched, but she nodded to encourage him to continue.

"About what, Kenshin?"

"So many things. I should have been more careful. I feel like I took your choice away from you. You were afraid I was only asking you to marry me because you're pregnant, but I was afraid you would only say yes because I got you pregnant."

"Oh."

"Mostly, though, I'm angry with you for putting yourself in danger like that." Pushing space between them his low voice hissed but was drowned out by the booms of the fireworks. "What were you thinking? It's bad enough they were going to take Kenji, but you and my baby as well? Why would you do that? It frightened me when I heard. I have never been so scared in my life, and then she taunted me with _our _child. It was like she ripped my heart out of my chest and laughed while I slowly died."

Kaoru bit her lip. "I couldn't let them take Kenji all by himself. You understand that, right?"

"I know." His body trembled and his head dropped onto her shoulder again. "And I'm so very grateful. I love you so much for protecting Kenji. You really are… his true mother." A happy glow loosened the clenched muscles around her heart and she smiled over his shoulder. "I didn't know how I felt at first Kaoru, because I was still so angry about what you had done. Angry and grateful and terrified. If everything had worked out the way it was supposed to and you had told me that night at dinner I think I would have been shocked and then ashamed at first for not being careful, and then happy. I'm so very happy. How can I not be when our baby will always have you for its mother?"

"And you for a father." A deep breath pulled into his lungs and his tight grasp released her. "Are you feeling better now that you've told me?"

"Yes, but…"

"Is there something else?"

His forehead leaned against hers. "Will you promise that you'll let me be a part of it?"

"Of what? The pregnancy?" He nodded and Kaoru's surprise disappeared as she remembered him talking about the events that had led up to Kenji's birth. Tomoe had wanted nothing to do with him, which meant Kenshin had been allowed little to do with his own son's pregnancy and birth. Kaoru blinked, swallowed, then pulled back to jab her hands on her hips and frown at him seriously. "Now you listen hear, buddy. You helped do this to me so don't think you're going to get away with doing nothing during the entire thing. I expect you to be there whenever I need your help. That means rubbing my feet and tying my shoes and maybe even shaving my legs when I can't see them anymore. Is that clear?"

A slow smile crept across Kenshin's lips and he chuckled as he nodded. "Yes ma'am. I will be the perfect, dutiful husband while my wife is carrying my child… and also when she's not."

Kaoru grinned and her arms dropped before she snuggled into his chest. "I thought the first thing we could do is decide on a few names."

"Do I get to help?" Kaoru and Kenshin looked down to find Kenji standing beside them.

"Well of course you do, firecracker. I'm going to need your help with a lot of things. Being a big brother is an important job." Kaoru's hand came down to stroke his cheek and he grinned as the ring on her finger glowed and sparkled in the sporadic lights. Their family was finally whole and bound together by ties that were stronger than any other. Kaoru had reached out to Kenji that day almost a year before and his father had found a way to keep her with them. Many things had happened, some bad, others good, but none that were meaningless. Kenji knew he would never forget the past year but he also knew that he would never again wonder what it was like to know the love of a mother.

The End

A/N: Yay! It's done! I don't think I've been this excited about finishing a story. Probably because this one has taken me so long to finish. Also probably because I finished it a long time ago in my head and then just blew it off and got interested in other stories. I hope that you like how it ended. I tried not to rush anything, but I was working really hard to finish it. I don't know what else to say except it was fun and sweet and good for a happy read. Please leave a review and read it many more times if you like.

On a different note, I have a new story that I'm going to begin posting on. I hope everyone will please join me in it when it begins. Thank you so much for sticking around this long! Bye-bye.


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